Kingdom Hearts: Days of Memories
by xKeybladeWielderx
Summary: During their journey in the fight against the darkness, Sora and Devon both turned their Keyblades on themselves to free Kairi's heart. From that event, two Nobodies, Roxas and Draxon were born with no memories of their past. Dive into their story as they join Organization XIII, meet Xion, and discover the truth to their existence. What mattered the most was remembered the least.
1. New Members

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 _"Pitiful Heartless, mindlessly collecting hearts. The rage of the Keyblade releases those hearts. They gather in darkness, masterless and free. Until they weave together to make Kingdom Hearts. And when that time comes we can truly, finally exist." - Saïx_

 _During their journey, Sora and Devon turned their Keyblades on themselves to release Kairi's heart, but also released their hearts in the process. This brought about the creation of Roxas, Sora's Nobody, and Draxon, Devon's Nobody. Both of them have no memories of their past. Together, they join Organization XIII and slowly discover the truth of their existence and the Organization itself. They meet and befriend the fifteenth member of the Organization, Xion, who also has no recollection of her past. What will Roxas and Draxon experience during their time in the Organization? What is their connection between them, Sora, Devon, and Xion? And what does fate have in store for them? Dive into the heart as we explore their Days of Memories._

 _What mattered most was remembered the least._

* * *

( _Twilight Town_ )

Up at the top of the clock tower, Roxas, Draxon, and Axel sat along the edge, enjoying the view.

"Roxas, Draxon, are you really sure you don't have a heart?" Axel asks

"I dunno. It's not like we can just... look inside." Roxas says looking down

"But... if there is something inside us, then we'd feel it, wouldn't we?" Draxon asks

"True enough." Axel says handing the two boys Sea-Salt Ice Cream bars

Roxas and Draxon smiled. They took their ice cream bars and gazed at the sunset.

 _No. I - Xemnas - Enigmatic Master over Nothingness. Superior of the In-Between._

 _No. II - Xigbar - Traverses between realms. Skilled at recon. Freeshooter._

 _No. III - Xaldin - Warrior and tactician. Harnesses the Wind. Whirlwind Lancer._

 _No. IV - Vexen - Domain over the power of Ice. Brilliant. Chilly Academic._

 _No. V - Lexeaus - Commands the Earth with quiet strength. Taciturn Stalwart._

 _No. VI - Zexion - Wields Shadow and Illusions. Cloaked Schemer._

 _No. VII - Saïx - Adjutant to seek hearts. Driven by the moon. Luna Diviner._

 _No. VIII - Axel - Assassin with motives of his own. Flurry of dancing flames._

 _No. IX - Demyx - Wields Sitar playing water. Melodious Nocturne._

 _No. X - Luxord - Controls time to win and wagers ever game. Gambler of Fate._

 _No. XI - Marluxia - Ambitions hidden by flowers and scythe. Graceful Assassin._

 _No. XII - Larxene - Armed with knives, lightning, and a temper. Savage Nymph_

Roxas and Draxon, two nobodies who were born out from the release of Sora and Devon's heart, woke up outside the mansion in Twilight Town. Rising to their feet, they looked around, feeling dazed and confused. Then, a dark corridor opened up infront of them and out came a hooded figure, wearing a black coat.

"You seek answers." The hooded figure says

The hooded figure waved his right-hand across, making Sora and Devon's name appear in glowing blue letters infront of the two boys.

"You feel nothing. Nothing is real. I can give you purpose." The hooded figure says

Waving his hand again, the letters spun around the two boys. The figure soon thrusts his hand out, making the spinning letters stop, adding a large, golden 'X' to the mix. Thus, the names Roxas and Draxon were given.

 _No. XIII and XIV - Roxas and Draxon - Awakened in the flickering light of dusk. Wielders of Light and Dark. Keys of Destiny._

"Roxas."

"Draxon."

Looking underneath the hood, the figure turned out to be Xemnas, the Organization's Superior.

"That is right... the new you." Xemnas says

The two boys walked aimlessly through the streets of Twilight Town. While walking, they passed Hayner, Pence, and Olette, who walked past them, eating Sea-salt ice cream. They stopped and looked back at the trio as they kept on walking. Then, Axel came and placed his hands on the shoulders of the two boys. He brought them up to his spot at the top of the clock tower where they ate the same ice cream, just as they were now.

"Man, I miss the old times. Still got it memorized? The day we met, when you both got your names, the three of us sat right here and watched the sunset." Axel says

 ** _~ Day 255 ~_**

 _ **Why the sun sets red** _

( _Twilight Town_ )

Roxas and Draxon were sitting at the top of the clock tower, watching the sunset with Sea-salt ice cream in their hands.

"You're early." A male voice says

The two boys turned and saw Axel joining them.

"No, you're just late." Roxas says

"Way late." Draxon says

Axel chuckled and he sat down next to Roxas.

"Today makes 255." Roxas says

"What's that about?" Axel asks

"It's been that many days since me and Draxon first joined the Organization." Roxas says

"Wow. Has it really been that long? Man, time flies." Draxon says

"So, you got the number memorized, do you?" Axel asks

"Yeah. Have to hang on to something, right? It's not like I have memories from before the Organization." Roxas says

"You're right about that, Roxas. All this time and neither one of us knew anything. " Draxon says

"Don't you remember? We acted like zombies." Roxas says

"Right, that first week you both could barely form a sentence." Axel says

Axel smiled and patted Roxas in the back.

"But come on, you're still like zombies!" Axel teases

"Oh, thanks!" Roxas says playfully smiling

"Yeah! Thanks a lot!" Draxon says smiling

The trio laughed a bit.

"Hey, Roxas, Draxon. Bet you guys don't know why the sun sets red. You see, light is made up of lots of colors. And out of all those colors, red is the one that travels the farthest." Axel says

"Like we asked, Know-it-all!" Roxas teases

Axel chuckled and pointed to himself with a smile on his face. The three friends laughed some more. Later on during the day, Axel was lying on his back staring up at the sky while Roxas and Draxon sat upright, holding the leftover sticks of their ice cream, expecting someone else to join them.

"Seriously, where is she?" Roxas asks looking back over to his left

"I don't know." Draxon says following his gaze

Axel frowned upon hearing that and sat right up.

 _The destiny that was about to unfold, actually started when we first met after the seventh day after we came here._

 _ **~ Day 7 ~**_

 _ **Number XV**_

( _The World That Never Was_ )

All the members of Organization XIII were gathered in the Round Room for a special meeting. Each of them had their hoods down.

Where Nothing Gathers or the Round Room as the Organization members call it was a circular room containing white marble throne-like chairs ranging in height, where the Nobodies of Organization XIII gather and discuss developments. It was also where Xemnas gave out orders.

Each of the members were seated as Xemnas began the meeting.

"Good tidings, friends. Today is a momentous day. I am pleased to announce that a new member has been chosen to wear the coat." Xemnas says

Everyone looked down and a lone hooded figure stepped into the center of the circle.

"Number XV." Xemnas says

As they stared at the figure, it reminded the two boys of the day they joined the Organization.

( _Flashback_ )

"Let us all welcome two of the Keyblade's chosen." Xemnas says

Roxas and Draxon walked into the circle with Axel behind them. They both looked up at Xemnas as he gazed down at them, smiling.

( _Present time_ )

The figure looked up at Roxas and Draxon and stared at them. Roxas and Draxon both let out a slight gasp as they made eye contact with each other.

 _For the seven days since our arrival, the names Draxon, Roxas, and the thirteen were all we had. Who the people around us were, what they wanted, or what they were trying to do. We had no idea._

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Welcome to _Kingdom Hearts: Days of Memories_. In these chapters, we'll follow the story of Roxas and Draxon as they search for answers to their existence. Born from the release of Devon and Sora's heart, the two Nobodies are found by Xemnas and brought into Organization XIII. In their servitude, they become good friends with Axel. They also meet Xion, Number XV. Just a reminder as to voice reference, Draxon is voiced by Toby Maguire, who portrays Peter Parker/Spider-man in Sam Raimi's Spider-man Trilogy for _Spider-man, Spider-man 2, and Spider-man 3_. Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


	2. First Missions

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 _ **~ Day 8 ~**_

 _ **The icing on the cake**_

( _The World That Never Was_ )

In the castle, Roxas and Draxon walked into the Grey Area, which was a lounging area for the Organization members. The room was wedge-shaped, with a giant glass window, where Kingdom Hearts could be seen floating in the distance. There were six couches, three on opposite sides of the room. In the middle of these couches were a single square table.

Inside the room was Saïx, who was standing at the window, Zexion, who was sitting on one of the couches, reading his spell book, and the newest member of the Organization, Number XV, who just stood where she was at the window, away from the others.

"Roxas, Draxon." Saïx calls

The two boys approached Saïx as he called them.

"Your work begins today. I will issue missions, which the Organization expects to carry out. Think of these missions as exercises. You still have much to learn before the two of you face the real test. Axel will be joining you for your first time out." Saïx says

Saïx looks over at Axel, who was leaning against the window with his arms crossed.

"Isn't that right, Axel?" Saïx asks

"Oh, boy... What, are you making me their mentor now?" Axel asks

"It is as Lord Xemnas' commands. Teach them well, Axel." Saïx says

"Don't worry. I'll be sure they make the grade." Axel says

Axel looks at Roxas and Draxon.

"Roxas, Draxon, let's go." Axel says

The two boys were staring at the new member who just stood at the big window, staring back at them.

"What's wrong? You worried about the new kid? What was that name again...?" Axel asks

"Number XV. Xion." Saïx says

"Right. I knew that." Axel says

"Xion..." Roxas says

"Got it memorized, boys?" Axel asks

"Yeah..." Roxas says

"Yes..." Draxon says

"Yeah? How 'bout my name, then?" Axel asks gesturing to himself

"Axel..." Roxas and Draxon say in unison

"And how about our boss's name, huh?" Axel asks

"Xemnas..." Roxas and Draxon say in unison

"No way you're gonna forget his name, right? Let's go." Axel says

Axel turned and stretched his right-hand out, opening a dark corridor next to Saïx. Together, Roxas and Draxon followed their mentor into the dark portal as he led them to begin their first mission.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Axel, Roxas, and Draxon arrived in Twilight Town, stepping out of the dark corridor. Looking around, they found themselves in the subway tunnels.

"Alright, let's start talking about what we do on missions." Axel says

"What is it that you do?" Draxon asks

"Missons are... uhh... They're, you know... Hrm..." Axel says

Roxas and Draxon stared at Axel, silently as he tried to explain.

"You know what? Talking is dumb. Let's just go and get our hands dirty, shall we? There's a chest hidden somewhere in these tunnels. Your mission is to find it." Axel says

"That's it?" Draxon asks dumbfounded

"That's all we have to do?" Roxas asks

"I know, don't hurt yourself. C'mon, let's just get it done." Axel says

With that, the trio began their mission together, searching the subway for the treasure chest. The mission was pretty much straight forward. They went through multiple tunnels until they finally found the chest.

"Is this the chest?" Roxas asks

"Sure is. Nice job." Axel says

Axel expected Roxas and Draxon to open the chest, but they just stared at it blankly.

"Um... what are you two waiting for?" Axel asks

"You said the mission was to find the chest. Aren't we done?" Draxon asks

"Uh, boys... There's this thing about chests. They have stuff inside them." Axel says

"So, you think we should open it?" Draxon asks

"Yeah. That's the general idea." Axel says shrugging his shoulders

Draxon opened the chest and inside were two Orichalcum Crystals.

An Orichalcum Crystal was a rare, large, aqua-colored jewel. It's top half was lined by five triangular spikes that alternate from large to small in size. Two smaller spikes fork into three points at their tips, and all five spikes were connected by four thin bars. Its lower half was lined by four slanted spikes, two on each side of the jewel. One large, diamond-shaped spike was placed on the bottom. And the center of the jewel glittered with white sparkles.

"Nice! Two Orichalcum Crystals." Axel says

"What's an Orichalcum Crystal?" Draxon asks

"Only the most rare and valuable jewel that can be found out in the field." Axel says

Axel takes the two Orichalcum Crystals out of the chest and hands them to Roxas and Draxon.

"Bravo! Not bad for your first mission. Here. You can keep these crystals you found." Axel says

"Thanks..." Draxon says

Roxas and Draxon took the two crystals and placed them in the pocket of their coats.

"So, whaddya think? Got the hang of this mission business?" Axel says

"Seemed pretty simple to me." Draxon says

"I could've done that blindfolded." Roxas says

"Ha ha! I don't know if I want a blindfolded zombie on the loose. These missions may seem simple at first, but don't get ahead of yourselves. Anyways, you both did good. And no successful mission is complete without a little icing on the cake. C'mon." Axel says

Axel walked past the two boys and started heading down the passageway.

"Don't... we have to return to the castle?" Roxas asks feeling confused

Axel stopped and looked back over his shoulder at the two boys.

"Later. Don't you remember our hangout?" Axel says

( _Moments later_ )

Having completed their first mission, Axel took Roxas and Draxon up to his usual spot, at the top of the clock tower.

"The icing on the cake." Axel says handing his two friends Sea-salt ice cream bars

Roxas and Draxon stared at Axel for a moment, but soon took the ice cream bars.

"You remember what this ice cream is called?" Axel asks

"It's umm..." Roxas says

"Uhh..." Draxon says

"Sea-salt ice cream. I already told you both before." Axel says

Roxas and Draxon both took a bite out of their ice cream. The taste was salty at first. But then, it turned sweet.

"It's salty..." Roxas says

"But sweet." Draxon says

"You know, you both said the same exact thing the other day." Axel says

"We did?" Roxas asks

"I can't remember." Draxon says

"So what has it been, a week since you two joined the Organization?" Axel asks

"I guess it has..." Roxas mutters

"It must've been a week..." Draxon mutters

"You guess it has?" Axel asks

Axel playfully elbows Roxas in his arm.

"C'mon, you two must remember that much. Well, here you are, finally out in the field working for the Organization, right?" Axel says

"For the Organization..." Draxon mutters

"You might even say that today is where it all really begins for the two of you." Axel says

"Where it all begins..." Draxon mutters

The three friends looked and watched the sunset, taking in the view.

 _As members of the Organization, we would be receiving missions together everyday... But we weren't exactly sure what we were supposed to do._

 ** _~ Day 9 ~_**

 ** _Heartless_**

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Roxas and Draxon walked into the Grey Room and looked around. They saw Saïx and Marluxia standing at the window across from them. They also saw Vexen, who was standing away from the others, and Demnyx, who was sitting on one of the couches, playing with his Sitar. Roxas and Draxon approached Saïx and Marluxia, ready to begin their mission of the day.

"Roxas, Draxon, today you will be working with Marluxia on your next mission. He will teach you about the Heartless." Saïx says

"Welcome to the fold, boys." Marluxia says

Marluxia stretches his right-hand out to his side and opens a dark corridor.

"Come. Let us be on our way." Marluxia says

Roxas and Draxon entered the dark portal with Marluxia as they began their new mission.

( _Twilight Town_ )

The three Nobodies exited the dark corridor and arrived at the Sandlot in Twilight Town.

"So, what do we have to do today?" Draxon asks

"Today, your job is to collect hearts." Marluxia says

"Collect hearts?" Roxas asks

"I don't understand. How do we do that?" Draxon asks

"You both possess the Keyblade. It's power rests within you." Marluxia says

"The what?" Roxas asks

"Keyblade?" Draxon asks

"The Keyblade is a weapon of ancient power. It is the only weapon capable of defeating the Heartless. You both have the power to wield them." Marluxia says

"How?" Draxon asks

"Simple. Stretch forth your hands and concentrate on summoning forth your Keyblades." Marluxia says

"Um... Okay." Roxas says

"Sure." Draxon says

Roxas and Draxon both stretched their hands forward and their Keyblades appeared in a flash of light. For Roxas, his Keyblade was Kingdom Key. And for Draxon, his Keyblade was Soul Calibur.

"At last, to have the chosen wielders of the Keyblade amongst our ranks." Marluxia mutters

Suddenly, six Shadow Heartless emerged from the ground ahead of the three Nobodies.

"Whoa! What are those?!" Roxas asks startled

"Hmph. Nothing to be feared of. Let's put your powers to the test. Wield your Keyblades... and defeat those Heartless." Marluxia says

Doing as commanded, Roxas and Draxon rushed forward at the Heartless and attacked. It was a rather short fight as the two Keyblade Wielders made short work of the dark creatures.

Roxas thrusts his Keyblade at one Shadow, taking it out right on the spot. He attacks the next Shadow with a downward slash, slicing it in half. Then, he finishes the third Shadow with a spinning slash.

Draxon cuts down a Shadow with a left-diagonal slash, slicing through it's body with a clean hit. He strikes the next Shadow with a right slash, slicing it in half across it's body. Then, he finishes the last Heartless off with a roundhouse slash.

"Excellent. Those Heartless were called Shadows. They are one of the most common form of Heartless." Marluxia says

"But what are Heartless?" Roxas asks

"Dark creatures who roam about, searching for hearts to consume. The Heartless are of two varieties. The ones you both defeated are known as Purebloods. But they don't release hearts when you defeat them. In other words, don't bother with them. The other variety-" Marluxia says

Before Marluxia could explain further, more Heartless appeared in the Sandlot. These were Yellow Operas, numbering in at least six.

"Hmph... Is right over there. Take them out. They are your real targets." Marluxia says

Turning their attention toward the Heartless, Roxas and Draxon charged at the dark creatures and went on the attack. Just as before, the fight was short.

Roxas leapt up at a Yellow Opera and struck at it with a downward slash, an uppercut slash, and a right slash, finishing it off in three strikes. He then cut down the other two Heartless with just two strikes.

Draxon strikes a Yellow Opera with an uppercut slash, slicing it vertically in half. He cuts down the next Yellow Opera with two horizontal slashes. And finally, Draxon finishes the last Heartless with a left-diagonal slash.

"Well done. Those are what we call Emblem Heartless." Marluxia says

"Why are they so special?" Roxas asks

"Because unlike Purebloods, Emblem Heartless release their hearts upon defeat. Did you not notice their hearts when you defeated them?" Marluxia says

"Right..." Roxas mutters

"I see..." Draxon mutters

"Your mission is to collect those hearts. That is why the two of you are special." Marluxia says

"What happens to the hearts we collect?" Draxon asks

"They will gather as one, and create an almighty force known as Kingdom Hearts." Marluxia says

"So... that's good, right?" Draxon asks

"Completing Kingdom Hearts is the Organization's primary objective. And for that, we need every heart we can collect." Marluxia says

"So that's what the Organization does? Collect hearts?" Roxas asks

"You two are the first of us to accomplish this task." Marluxia says

"Wait, can't you and the other members handle the Heartless without the Keyblade?" Draxon asks

"The rest of us can defeat the Heartless, but we have no way of collecting the hearts when they are released. Eventually, the hearts will create more Heartless. Now, do you realize how special the two of you are?" Marluxia says

"Hmm..." Roxas says

"I guess it does make sense." Draxon says

"I have high hopes for you, Roxas." Marluxia says

Shifting his gaze from Roxas, Marluxia turns his head to Draxon.

"And you too, Draxon. As do we all." Marluxia says

Marluxia stretched his right-hand out to his side and a dark corridor opened up.

"Now, let us return to the castle." Marluxia says

Having completed their mission, Roxas and Draxon headed into the dark corridor with Marluxia and returned back to the castle.

 _The Organization defeats the Heartless in order to collect hearts... And complete Kingdom Hearts. But Roxas and I, we didn't know what it was or what it does. We didn't even know what a heart was._

 ** _~ Day 10 ~_**

 ** _Incomplete_**

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Roxas and Draxon walked into the Grey Area and were greeted by Zexion. Also in the room was Lexeaus, who stood by himself, and Marluxia who stood on the opposite side of the room.

"Good morning, Roxas, Draxon. I shall be joining you on your mission for today. I trust you both are ready?" Zexion says

"Yeah." Roxas says

"Yes." Draxon says

"Then, let us go." Zexion says

Zexion stretched his right-hand out to his side and a dark corridor opened up. The three Nobodies walked into the dark portal, beginning their mission in Twilight Town.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Zexion, Roxas, and Draxon walked out of the dark corridor and arrived in the Tram Common market area in Twilight Town.

"Your mission today is to eliminate a set quantity of Heartless. But there are other missions the Organization will require you to meet other objectives. Such as performing recon for example. But regardless of the task you are given, your primary objective still holds. You and your Keyblades are essential to collecting hearts." Zexion says

"So, even though we are doing other tasks, we are to still hunting Heartless?" Draxon asks

"Correct. But today, the two happily coincide. The Heartless are currently somewhere in this market. Your mission is to scout out the area, find the Heartless, and eliminate them." Zexion says

Roxas and Draxon searched the area and they soon find a group of seven Heartless. Two were Dire Plants and five were Yellow Operas. The two boys split up as they dealt with the Heartless. Roxas faced off against three of the Yellow Operas while Draxon fought the two Dire Plants and the other two Yellow Operas.

Roxas leapt forward at the Yellow Operas and attacked with his Keyblade. He strikes the first Heartless with a downward slash, a left slash, and a right slash, defeating it with three strikes. Moving onto the next Heartless, Roxas swung his Keyblade with a right diagonal slash, slicing the Heartless in half. Then, Roxas comes onto the third Yellow Opera and quickly takes it out with a spinning slash.

One of the Dire Plants launched a seed from it's maw, sending it straight toward Draxon, who instinctively rolled out of the way, dodging the seed. The Dire Plant shot another seed toward Draxon. But this time, he blocked the seed with his Keyblade, sending it back at the Dire Plant, instantly defeating it. Draxon quickly took out the other Dire Plant with a right slash, cutting the head off from it's stem. After dealing with the two Dire Plants, Draxon focused his attention on the two remaining Yellow Operas. He leapt up and swung his Keyblade with a roundhouse slash, taking both Heartless out with one strike.

"That's all of them." Draxon says

"Now we get to return to the castle, right?" Roxas asks

"Leave, so soon? I, for one, would apply myself a bit more." Zexion says

"But-" Roxas says

"You have both done well in eliminating the Heartless." Zexion says

A Yellow Opera appeared not far from the trio.

"But as you can plainly see, there are still some Heartless lurking in the town." Zexion says

As quickly as it appeared, the Heartless disappears.

"Just how many Heartless are there?" Draxon asks

"The Heartless are vast in numbers, far beyond count." Zexion says

"What?!" Roxas and Draxon say in shock

"You don't have to eliminate them all. It's your choice. Just like I don't have to respect you for slinking back to the castle while there is still work to be done. Remember, the Organization rewards those who make extra effort." Zexion says

Roxas and Draxon pondered the situation that was before them, but they soon decided it was best to complete their mission and hunt down the remaining Heartless in the area. And so, they both searched the town with Zexion observing them. They soon spotted a Yellow Opera up ahead, floating over towards an alleyway on the left. The trio followed the Heartless and came upon more Yellow Operas, numbering four in a group. With their minds now focused on the Heartless, Roxas and Draxon summoned their Keyblades into their hands and prepared themselves to deal with the dark creatures. Zexion watched the two boys from the entrance of the alleyway.

Roxas leapt up and cut down one Yellow Opera with a downward slash. He then quickly dispatches the other two Heartless with a left slash and a right slash.

Draxon sliced a Yellow Opera with an uppercut slash, slicing it vertically in half. He moves onto the other two and quickly takes them out with a downward slash and a roundhouse slash.

Leaving the alleyway, they saw a single Dire Plant which was the last remaining Heartless.

Draxon quickly summoned his Keyblade and rushed toward the Heartless. The Dire Plant launched a seed at Draxon, but he rolled to the side and jumped up to his feet, continuing his approach. Again, the Dire Plant shot another seed from it's maw. Draxon leapt up into the air, dodging the attack, and flew toward the Heartless, raising his Keyblade over his head. Within moments, Draxon brought his Keyblade down on the Heartless, finishing it off.

Having dealt with the Heartless, Draxon rose up, de-summoned his Keyblade, and returned to Roxas and Zexion.

"Much better. I trust you both will exhibit equal diligence in your future missions." Zexion says

Zexion stretched his right-hand out to his side and a dark corridor opened up.

"Do you have any questions?" Zexion asks

"Yeah... um... What exactly is Kingdom Hearts? Marluxia told us that it was some kind of force." Draxon asks

"Kingdom Hearts will complete us. That is the Organization's goal." Zexion says

"Complete us?" Roxas asks

"How so?" Draxon asks

"To become complete people. Roxas, Draxon, you and I and all the Organization's members are what we call Nobodies." Zexion says

"That's not very nice." Roxas says feeling slightly offended

"Kinda rude." Draxon says also slightly offended

"It's a name for those of us who are missing a vital piece of who we are: our hearts." Zexion says

"So, Roxas and I, we don't have hearts?" Draxon asks

"Yes. Like all of us, the two of you were born into this world without one. But once Kingdom Hearts is complete, we shall have hearts of our own. Are you beginning to see why you are so important? Each of us has a vital role in the Organization. Yours is to collect hearts." Zexion says

"I get it." Roxas says

"Me too." Draxon says

"Any more questions?" Zexion asks

"No. I guess that covers everything." Draxon says

"Then we should be getting back to the castle. Come." Zexion says

With that, the three Nobodies headed into the dark corridor and back to the castle.

 _Nobodies don't exist... We in the Organization were born without hearts. So if we didn't have hearts, doesn't that mean we don't exist?_

 ** _~ Day 11 ~_**

 ** _Keyblade_**

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Roxas and Draxon walk into the Grey Area and were greeted by Saïx.

"Roxas, Draxon, Larxene will be your partner for today's mission." Saïx says

"Larxene... right." Roxas says

The two boys looked around the room. They saw Xigbar, who was relaxing on one of the couches, and Vexen, who was standing by himself, but they didn't see Larxene anywhere.

"But where is she?" Draxon asks

"Larxene has already left for Twilight Town. You two are to meet her on-site." Saix says

"Alright." Draxon says

"For this mission, we expect the two of you to try out some magic for a change, instead of relying solely on the Keyblade." Saïx says

"Magic?" Roxas asks

"We know magic?" Draxon asks

"The Keyblade grants it's wielders the power to wield all sorts of magic. That will be your lesson in today's mission." Saïx says

Saïx stretched his right-hand out to his side and he opened a dark corridor for Roxas and Draxon.

"Now, I would not keep Larxene waiting. Go and meet her in Twilight Town." Saïx says

Roxas and Draxon nodded their heads in understanding and they entered the dark portal, heading for Twilight Town.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Roxas and Draxon walked out of the dark corridor and arrived in the Sandlot in Twilight Town.

"About time you both showed up." A female voice says

The two boys looked over to their right and saw Larxene approach them.

"Ugh, this is the worst. Who's idea was it to send me along on your dumb baby missions? Do I look like your babysitters? I'd rather have Demyx handle this stuff. It's not like he's good at anything else." Larxene says

Roxas and Draxon both stared at Larxene with blank faces.

"What? You two got something to say?" Larxene asks

"No." Roxas says

"Nope." Draxon says

"Pfft, you two would be nothing without the Keyblade." Larxene says

It was then that an idea came into Larxene's mind.

"Oh, I got an idea. You two can do today's mission without your Keyblade." Larxene says with a smirk on her face

"What?!" Roxas and Draxon say in unison

"Why?!" Draxon asks shocked

"Because I said so, that's why. Didn't Saïx say he wanted you both to practice magic today?" Larxene says

"Yeah. He did." Draxon sighs

"Well, sink or swim." Larxene says

"Yeah, sink! We don't know how to use magic!" Roxas says

"Well, I got news for you. You two are not gonna learn if you keep swinging around those oversized keys." Larxene says

As the three Nobodies were talking, two Dire Plants appeared.

"Ah, perfect. Go on and take out those Heartless. I'm just gonna stand over here and watch." Larxene says

Roxas and Draxon turned and approached the Heartless.

"And remember, you have to use magic!" Larxene says smirking

Draxon rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Thanks a heap." Draxon mutters

Turning their attention toward the Heartless, the two boys prepared themselves to use their magic on the dark creatures.

Roxas aimed his right-hand at one of the Dire Plants and shot a fireball out from his palm. The fireball hits the Dire Plant and explodes, destroying the Heartless right on the spot. Roxas and Draxon were amazed at what happened.

"Whoa! How did I do that?" Roxas says

Now, it was Draxon's turn to use his magic. He gripped his right-hand into a fist, then slowly opened it up, conjuring a fireball in his open palm. Draxon aimed for the Dire Plant and hurled the fireball straight toward it. The fireball strikes the Heartless with direct impact, eliminating it.

"Nice!" Draxon exclaims

Roxas and Draxon high-fived each other in celebration of their first time using magic. But just when they thought their mission was over, more Heartless appeared. These were three Yellow Operas and two Dire Plants.

"Oh, good. Here come some more. Take them out." Larxene says

Larxene looked at the two boys and saw the look of concern on their faces.

"Ugh, at the speed you two move, we'll be here all month. Go ahead. You can use your Keyblade this time." Larxene says

"Thank you." Draxon says relieved

Roxas and Draxon both summoned their Keyblades into their hands and got into battle stance as they faced the group of Heartless.

Roxas aimed his Keyblade at one of the Yellow Operas and shot a fireball out from the tip. The fireball hits with direct impact, detonating in a small explosion which destroys the Heartless. The other two Heartless were blown back a bit by the explosion. While they were stunned, Roxas leaps up at the Heartless and cuts them down with his Keyblade.

One of the Dire Plants launched a seed from it's maw straight at Draxon, but he sends it back with a swing of his Keyblade, instantly defeating it. Draxon conjures up a fireball in his hand and hurls it at the other Dire Plant. The fireball hits the Heartless and explodes upon impact, obliterating the dark creature.

Having dealt with the Heartless, Roxas and Draxon de-summoned their Keyblades.

"Sheesh, took you long enough. Worst. Mission. Ever." Larxene says

Roxas and Draxon looked down, not saying a word.

"If you two are our big-shot Keyblade Wielders, then we're in deep doo-doo." Larxene says

Still, the two boys remained silent.

"Ugh, can't you two even hold up your end of a conversation? You'd better pull it together or we'll never finish Kingdom Hearts." Larxene says

Larxene turns around with her back towards the two boys.

"Unless, of course, we put someone else on Keyblade duty." Larxene says with a smirk

"What?" Draxon says shocked

"You have someone else?!" Roxas asks shocked

"None of your beeswax. Ugh, let's go before you two kill more of my brain cells." Larxene says

Larxene stretched her hand out and a dark corridor opened up infront of the three Nobodies. Having completed their mission, Roxas and Draxon headed into the dark corridor and returned to the castle with Larxene.

 _The Keyblade releases hearts... So why were me and Roxas the only ones who could wield such a thing? We were learning all these things, but there was so much more we didn't understand._

 ** _~ Day 12 ~_**

 ** _A Closed World_**

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Roxas and Draxon walked into the Grey Area and were greeted by Vexen.

"Good evening, gentlemen. I shall be assisting you in your next mission." Vexen says

"Uh... Okay." Draxon says

Vexen opened up a dark corridor and the three Nobodies headed inside.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Vexen, Roxas, and Draxon step out of the dark corridor and arrive at the Tram Commons in Twilight Town.

"Now, listen carefully. Your mission today is to perform reconnaisance in this area." Vexen says

"Reconna-what?" Roxas asks

"What about fighting Heartless and collecting hearts?" Draxon asks

"There's far more to the Organization than that, boys. Our work wouldn't be half as smoothly if we did not have the needed intelligence beforehand. Fortunately, you are in good hands. I will be by your side today to help stimulate your insensate minds." Vexen says

"Okay. So what do we do?" Draxon asks

"First, take a look around the vicinity, and report anything unusual you find. And do not go wandering far until you've carefully examined the clues closest at hand." Vexen says

Roxas and Draxon both nod their heads in understanding and began looking around the town. First, they look over to the right and see a shop that had pictures of rings ontop of it.

"This looks to be a shop." Draxon says

"These people must sell jewelry here." Roxas says

"Anyone can see that." Vexen states bluntly

Moving on, the boys notice that the ground was paved with different tiles. Draxon kneels down and places his right-hand on the tiles.

"These tiles seem different than the ones paved in the town." Draxon says

"Looks like it's some sort of road." Roxas says

"Fascinating... And?" Vexen says

"Uhh..." Draxon says

"Umm..." Roxas says

"We'll never get anywhere with you two stating the obvious." Vexen says

Continuing on, the trio look over to their left and see another shop. This one had all sorts of different symbols.

"What do they sell here?" Roxas asks

"That's your job to find out, idiot. Okay, tell me what you have seen so far." Vexen says

"Umm... There are a lot of shops." Roxas says

"And?" Vexen says

"This must be the center of town?" Draxon says

"Must be? Are you asking or telling me? Roxas, Draxon, you are looking, but you are not seeing the bigger picture. Here's what I see: The whole town is built alonga mountain." Vexen says

Vexen looks over to the sloped road on his left.

"That's why the roads are sloped. The houses are built along the terrace. And at the top is a station. The trains there are the town's main system of transit." Vexen says

The trio look up toward the clock tower.

"See the clock tower up there? That's the station building. Based on it's location, the tracks are probably elevated." Vexen says

Next, they turn their attention to the shops around them.

"And this must be the downtown area. All these shops are established in one place." Vexen says

Then, the three Nobodies look down at the paved ground.

"Now, what about this path you pointed out? The trams must run here. Take a closer look. There are tire tracks." Vexen says

"You figured all this out just now?" Draxon asks

"That's just it! I only stated what I observed. There was no simple guessing involved. That's the next step: analyzing the data you find. The clothing and jewelry shops tell us how these people live. This town is a blueprint of their lives." Vexen says

Roxas and Draxon both stared at Vexen silently.

"Distressing. Very distressing. It appears your minds weren't made for this, was it? Well, you're not off the hook yet. If I allow you to quit with these results, I will be the laughing stock of the castle." Vexen says

Vexen gestures his hand to the paved road.

"Follow this path and investigate the remainder of the area. Everything needed to know about this plaza lies around it, provided you two are capable of connecting the dots." Vexen says

The two boys follow the path through the town with Vexen watching their progress. After following the path for a few minutes, they stop and look over to the right, seeing a shuttered door.

"An underground tunnel system?" Roxas asks

"Looks like it's closed off." Draxon says

"Note the number above the door. That's this gate's designation." Vexen says

"Number four." Draxon says

"Precisely. Four, not one. Which means there are multiple gates. Carry on." Vexen says

Roxas and Draxon return to the path and follow it to the other side of the plaza. They soon notice a big hole in the wall, leading to the woods outside the town.

"There's a big hole in the wall." Roxas says

"Look. It leads to some woods on the other side." Draxon says

"Impressive. But we're investigating the town. Continue." Vexen says

Still following the path, their investigation leads them to a path that splits into two ways. One continues on around the plaza while the other leads straight towards another shuttered gate.

"The path splits up here. This one loops around the town." Draxon says pointing at the split path

"The entrance this way is shut." Roxas says

"It looks like this way leads right into the building." Draxon says

"Then, you must've pieced together what this entrance is for." Vexen says

The two boys turn and look at Vexen.

"Alright. We've been through the whole plaza." Draxon says

"Well, then, what have you learned?" Vexen asks

"Well, umm... let's see. The town has a lot of overpasses and underpasses." Roxas says

"And the tram seems to circle the plaza." Draxon says

"Oh, and there was that entrance that looked like it led underground." Roxas says

"Yeah, but it was closed off." Draxon says

"Anything else?" Vexen asks

"Umm..." Draxon says

"Err..." Roxas says

"Never mind. Wouldn't want you to hurt yourselves. You two are showing improvements, at least, even if your talents fall woefully short of my own. You've done well. We may return to the castle." Vexen says

Vexen was about to open a dark corridor to the castle until he heard Draxon's voice speak up.

"Hold on a moment." Draxon says

Vexen turned around, reacting to Draxon's notice.

"That alleyway..." Draxon says

Draxon went into the alleyway while Roxas and Vexen followed him.

"Discovered something, have we?" Vexen says intrigued

"Yeah. Look. More tracks." Draxon says pointing at the path

Draxon points to the shuttered entrance.

"That entrance with the shutter leads into this area." Draxon says

Moving his hand along the path, he points to the end of the wall on the left.

"And then the road stops here at this wall. We know that the path is for the tram. So, this must be the tram yard." Draxon says

"Finally, a modicum of intelligence. My teaching is paying off!" Vexen says

"You know what, I did notice something else when we were following the path around the plaza." Roxas says

Now, it was Roxas' turn to lead. He led Draxon and Vexen to an empty space which was to the left of the path.

"This spot's out of the way and surrounded by buildings." Roxas says

"But why would these people leave a space open like this. There must be a reason. It's kept clean, which means what?" Vexen says

"People pass through here a lot?" Roxas asks

"Precisely. Finally, a glimmer of insight!" Vexen says

The trio head out of the empty spot and stop on the path.

"Hmm, not bad. You both are finally starting to see the bigger picture. But while I applaud your efforts, you need to be able to see these things at first glance." Vexen says

"Right..." Draxon says

"Your goal should be to gather the maximum amount of data in the minimum amount of time. Spend too much time dallying, and you'll risk being seen, which will make the locals wary." Vexen says

"We understand." Roxas says

"Today's mission was just an exercise. I am satisfied. Let's return." Vexen says

Vexen stretches his right-hand out to his side and a dark corridor opens up.

"Any questions or concerns?" Vexen asks

"How often do we have to do this?" Roxas asks

"Whenever the Organization needs to know more about a world, naturally. Every world is unique with it's own terrain, values, the inhabitants, Heartless population... Any number of variables that can be used to our advantage in the missions ahead.

"Wait. Every world. Does that mean there are more worlds than this one?" Draxon asks

"Yes, of course. You didn't think you'd be mulling about here forever, did you? You will visit many worlds for many reasons, but our ultimate goal remains one and the same." Vexen says

"Kingdom Hearts." Roxas and Draxon say in unison

"Correct. Now, come along." Vexen says

 _Back and forth, to and from the same places everyday. Sometimes, we went to other places on real missions, but we couldn't cross the walls that divided the worlds. That was why we created our own paths of darkness, or so they said._

 ** _~ Day 13 ~_**

 ** _Deeds to Be Done_**

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Roxas and Draxon entered the Grey Area and were greeted by Saïx and Lexeaus.

"Roxas, Draxon, you will be paired with Lexeaus for your mission today." Saïx says

The two boys stared at Lexeaus nervously while he stood silent, returning their gaze with his.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Lexeaus, Roxas, and Draxon walked out of a dark corridor, arriving in the Sandlot in Twilight Town. The three of them stood silent until Lexeaus spoke up.

"Do you know of inner strength?" Lexeaus asks

"No." Roxas says

"What is it?" Draxon asks

Lexeaus turns to the two boys and looked down at them.

"It is the power that you have at your disposal when you are down to your last legs. When you are down to your last breath." Lexeaus says

Two Mega Shadows emerges from the ground, appearing infront of the three Nobodies.

"Time for some practical application." Lexeaus says

"Huh?" Roxas says confused

Before he could blink, Lexeaus backslapped Roxas in the face with a hard blow.

"Hey! What are you-?!" Draxon says

In that moment, Lexeaus punched Draxon hard in the stomach, making him lurch forward. Draxon's eyes widened and he fell down on all fours, holding his stomach.

"Argh! What did you do that for?" Draxon groans in pain

"There. Now you're on your last legs. Unleash your power and defeat the Heartless." Lexeaus says

Roxas and Draxon rose up and glared at the Heartless. They both felt an overwhelming surge of power flowing through them and their Keyblades began to glow with light. Roxas' Keyblade glowed with a gold light while Draxon's Keyblade glowed with a blue light. With the power of light flowing through them, Roxas and Draxon rapidly dart around the area, slashing away at the Heartless with fast speed and great strength. The Heartless were instantly defeated in seconds.

"Well fought." Lexeaus says

"Yeah?" Roxas asks

"Organization members are often asked to conduct solo missions. The only person you can count on is yourself." Lexeaus says

"Right..." Draxon says

"You and your Keyblades are invaluable to the Organization. With your job, however, comes risk. Each mission will pit you against more and more Heartless." Lexeaus says

"And let me guess, we have to face them in order to complete Kingdom Hearts, right?" Draxon says

"Correct." Lexeaus says

"So what happens when Kingdom Hearts is finished? What good does that do us?" Roxas asks

"We will unite with it and we shall gain hearts of our own." Lexeaus says

"I'm not quite sure we understand..." Draxon says

"When the time comes, you will. In the meantime, there are deeds to be done and only the both of you can do them." Lexeaus says

"So you need us." Draxon says

"Yes." Lexeaus says

"Are they good deeds?" Roxas asks

"Good for the Organization." Lexeaus says

"Right..." Draxon says

Lexeaus stares at the two boys silently, then stretches his right-hand to his side, opening up a dark corridor to the castle.

"We should return." Lexeaus says

Lexeaus headed into the dark corridor followed by Roxas and Draxon.

 _There were nice guys and not-so-nice guys in the Organization, but we were all working together to complete Kingdom Hearts. There was a lot that Roxas and I didn't know, but all we knew was we had to keep fighting the darkness... so we could be whole._

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So, now it begins. Roxas and Draxon begin their first missions in Organization XIII, learning much from their fellow members. The Heartless. Their ability to wield the Keyblade. Kingdom Hearts. Their existence being Nobodies. And in the next chapter, their friendship grows evermore as Xion joins in. Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


	3. Friends

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 **~ Day 14 ~**

 **Friends**

( _Twilight Town_ )

Roxas and Draxon arrive in the Back Alley in Twilight Town with Axel, beginning their first real mission.

"Our second mission together." Axel says

"Yep." Draxon says

"Let's get to it." Axel says

With that, their mission began. The trio headed up toward the train station, thinking it would be a good place to start looking. As they walked up the slope, a pale purple light wall blocked their path. Another light wall formed behind them, trapping them in the street. Then, three Yellow Operas and five Possessor Heartless appeared.

"Roxas, Draxon, I got the Possessors. You both take the other ones." Axel says

"Right." Roxas and Draxon say in unison nodding their heads

Axel threw his two chakrams at two Possessors, taking them both out. He moves onto the next Heartless and swings one of his chakrams down on it.

While Axel was busy dealing with the Possessors, Roxas and Draxon focused their attention on the Yellow Operas.

Roxas leaps up at a Yellow Opera and swung his Keyblade down on it, taking it out with one hit. Draxon sliced through one of the Yellow Operas with an upward slash, then struck down the other one with a right diagonal slash.

Axel finished off the other two Heartless and the fight was over. The light walls that had boxed them in disappeared and the trio continued their way up toward the station. There, they encountered some more Heartless. This group was two Scarlet Tangos and three Yellow Operas.

One of the Scarlet Tangos conjured up a fireball and launched it at the trio, but they all leapt out of the way.

Axel threw one of his chakrams at the Scarlet Tango, damaging it a bit. One of the Yellow Operas flew straight toward Axel in a spiral, but he rolled out of the way and countered with a toss of his chakrams.

Roxas leapt up at one of the Yellow Operas and struck it with his Keyblade. He attacked with an upward slash, a downward slash, and a reverse roundhouse strike, taking the Heartless out. A Yellow Opera cast a Thunder spell, hoping to hit Roxas with some lightning. Roxas leapt back and countered with a spell of his own. Aiming his Keyblade at the Heartless, Roxas launched a fireball from the tip of his Keyblade. The fireball hits with direct impact and explodes, destroying the Heartless.

Draxon leaps up at one of the Scarlet Tangos and strikes with his Keyblade. He attacks with a downward slash, a right slash, and a roundhouse slash, defeating the Heartless with three strikes. The other Scarlet Tango conjured up a fireball and launched it at Draxon, who bats it back with a swing of his Keyblade, hitting the Heartless with it's own fireball. With the Heartless left dazed by it's own attack, Draxon leaps up at the dark creature and slices clean through it's body, splitting it horizontally in half.

The station was clear and the trio headed back down to Station Heights. Again, they come across more Heartless. These were three Yellow Opera and two Dire Plants.

Roxas leaps forward at the Yellow Operas and struck one down with a downward slash. He then quickly takes the other two out with a left slash and a right slash.

This left Draxon to deal with the two Dire Plants. One of them launched a seed from it's maw, but Draxon sends it back with a swing of his Keyblade, taking out the Heartless with it's own attack. Then, Draxon throws his Keyblade at the other Dire Plant with a horizontal toss, cutting it's head off from it's stem.

Their mission was complete and all the Heartless were defeated. Roxas, Draxon, and Axel walked into the Back Alley and they talked with each other.

"That's that." Draxon says

"Eh, not bad. You guys did good... for your first mission. So, got any plans?" Axel asks

"We were just gonna report back to Saix and head to our rooms like we always do." Roxas says

"Yeah. Our missions done. No point sticking around out here." Draxon says

"Head to your... are you two insane?! C'mon. There's more than just dozing off in an old room, you know?" Axel says

While they were talking, the trio noticed three familiar teens running past them. These teens were Hayner, Pence, and Olette.

"C'mon! Last one down gets to buy the winner ice cream!" Hayner says with a smirk on his face

"Hey! No fair!" Pence says

"Wait up!" Olette says

"Better get flyin' if you don't wanna end up buyin'!" Hayner says

Roxas, Draxon, and Axel watched as the three teens raced each other down the stairs, disappearing into the town.

"Who were they?" Roxas asks looking at Axel

"Probably... just some kids who live here." Axel says shrugging his shoulders

"Does everybody who live here act that way?" Draxon asks

"What do you mean, Draxon?" Axel asks

"Running around chasing each other, making all that noise..." Draxon says

"Well, yeah... if they have hearts, I suppose that's what they do." Axel says

"Hearts..." Draxon says

"C'mon, let's get some ice cream." Axel says

"Why?" Roxas and Draxon ask in unison

"Why? Uh, well... 'cause... Because we're friends." Axel says rubbing the back of his head

"Friends..." Roxas says

"Friends eat ice cream together, and talk and laugh about the stupidest things. Like those kids we just saw. Come on, let's go." Axel says

( _Moments later_ )

Roxas, Draxon, and Axel sat up at the top of the clock tower and ate Sea-salt ice cream together.

"Hey, Roxas, Draxon." Axel says

"Hmm?" Roxas says

"Yeah?" Draxon says

"After your next mission, let's meet up for ice cream again. No fun just going back and forth between the castle and work, right?" Axel says

"Yeah. Right." Roxas says

"We're friends, huh..." Draxon says

Draxon looked down at his ice cream bar, then gazed upon the sunset, enjoying the view.

 **~ Day 1 5~**

 **Missions**

Over the next few days, Roxas and Draxon executed their missions without much thought. They were partnered with Larxene and Marluxia, hunting down Heartless and collecting their hearts. But after completing their missions, the two boys met up with Axel and sat up on the clock tower, eating ice cream and watching the sunset.

 **~ Day 22 ~**

 **Left Behind**

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Roxas and Draxon walked into the Grey Area and approached Saïx and Axel, ready for their next mission.

"Roxas, Draxon, today's mission is mandatory. Axel has been assigned to assist you." Saïx says

"Yep. You heard right. We're teamed up for today. Now, let's get going." Axel says

Roxas and Draxon both nodded their heads in acknowledgement.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Roxas, Draxon, and Axel arrive at the Station Plaza in Twilight Town.

"Alright, let's get this done fast. Today's target was... a Guardian, right? It shouldn't be too hard to find." Axel says

"Well, then, let's go." Draxon says

Leaving the Station Plaza, the trio began heading down through Station Heights. As they walked down the slope, they were met with a group of Watchers. Axel summoned his chakrams into his hands while Roxas and Draxon summoned their Keyblades.

One of the Watchers fires two white lasers at Axel, but he defends himself with his chakrams, holding them up like shields. Axel throws his chakrams at the Watcher, dishing out some damage to it. The Watcher strikes back with a powerful laser shot straight toward Axel, who leaps over to the side and rolls out of the way. Axel leaps up at the Heartless and swings his chakrams down on it, slicing the Watcher vertically in half.

Roxas leaps up at one of the Watchers and strikes with his Keyblade. He delivers two upward slashes and a downward slash and follows up with a spinning slash. The Watcher sends it's saucer spinning towards Roxas, who jumps back, dodging the attack, and counters with a fireball launched from the tip of his Keyblade. The fireball hits the Heartless with direct impact, destroying it.

With two Watchers defeated, only one remained. This one Heartless was left for Draxon.

Draxon tosses his Keyblade at the Watcher with a diagonal toss. The Keyblade hits the Heartless in the head and flies back toward Draxon, who catches it in his hand. The Watcher retaliates by firing multiple red lasers at Draxon. Using his Keyblade, Draxon deflected each of the lasers away from him. He reflected a few lasers back at the Heartless, damaging it. The last laser destroys the Watcher, finishing the fight.

"Those were new." Draxon says

"These Heartless were Watchers. Which means we must be getting close." Axel says

Heading out of Station Heights, the trio cut through the Back Alley and head down the stairs to the Sandlot. There, they come across more Watchers, numbering in at least three. And more importantly, they finally find their target: the Guardian.

"There it is!" Draxon says

"Here we go, boys. Keep your heads out of the clouds!" Axel says summoning his chakrams

"Right!" Draxon and Roxas say in unison

Draxon and Roxas both summon their Keyblades into their hands and they got into battle stance as they prepared for their fight against the Guardian and it's Watchers. The Guardian hovers back, allowing it's Watchers to attack first.

Axel tosses his chakrams at one of the Watchers, then leaps forward and swings them down on the Heartless, defeating it. Roxas leaps up at a Watcher and swings his Keyblade with a diagonal slash, slicing the Heartless in half. The last Watcher fires it's lasers at Draxon, who reflects them back with his Keyblade. He then tosses his Keyblade at the Heartless with a vertical toss. The Keyblade stabs into the Watcher's body and destroys it.

With the Watchers dealt with, the trio turned their attention toward the Guardian.

The Guardian charges up on energy and fires a large energy beam at the trio, who leap out of the way, dodging the attack.

Axel tosses his flaming chakrams at the Heartless four times, dishing out some damage, creating small explosions. He then combines his chakrams into a larger one and hurls it at the Guardian, inflicting a lot of damage.

Roxas leaps up at the Guardian and strikes it multiple times with his Keyblade. He strikes with two left and right slashes, an upward slash, a downward slash, and a reverse roundhouse slash.

With the Heartless left weakened, it was left up to Draxon to finish it off. Draxon leaps forward at the Heartless and slams his Keyblade into it's body. He then leaps higher into the air and swings his Keyblade down, slicing the Guardian's body vertically in half.

With that, the battle was over. The half-torn Heartless fell onto the ground and disintegrated and it's heart was released, making it's way up to Kingdom Hearts.

"Mission accomplished." Axel says

"Heh, gotta say, man, you two have come a long way in just a handful of days. You ready to head back?" Axel says

"Yeah." Roxas says

"Yep." Draxon says

( _Moments later_ )

After finishing their mission, Roxas, Draxon, and Axel went up to their usual spot at the top of the clock tower, sitting along the ledge, eating Sea-salt Ice Cream, and watching the sunset.

"I'm gonna miss this ice cream thing we do." Axel says

"Huh?" Roxas says feeling confused

"Why?" Draxon asks

"Gonna be away for awhile... starting tomorrow." Axel says

"Really?" Roxas says

"Tomorrow?" Draxon says

"I can fill you both in since we're friends. I'm gonna be in Castle Oblivion." Axel says

"Castle Oblivion?" Roxas and Draxon say in unison

"The Organizations got a second castle in the world between worlds. It's called Castle Oblivion. Got it memorized?" Axel says

"I wish somebody told us these things." Roxas says

"Yeah. Me too." Draxon says

"Well, I gotta head back and get ready. Nothing but fun fun fun... Anyway, you boys take your time." Axel says

With that, Axel left Roxas and Draxon to get ready for his trip to Castle Oblivion tomorrow. The two boys continued eating their ice cream until they got down to the stick. It was then that Roxas noticed something on his popsicle stick. Etched in the wood was the word 'Winner'. This left Roxas confused. Did he win something? Draxon noticed his stick had the same writing. Turned out, he was a lucky winner too. And just like Roxas, he too was confused. What was it they won?

 **~ Day 23 ~**

 **Silent Companion**

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Axel was making his way out of the castle when Saïx walked past him, making him stop.

"Axel, I have a message from Lord Xemnas. Among the members assigned to Castle Oblivion, there are traitors. Find them, and dispose of them." Saïx says

"I trust, that really came from Lord Xemnas himself." Axel says

With that, Axel took his leave and he headed for Castle Oblivion.

( _Moments later_ )

Roxas and Draxon walked into the Grey Area, hoping to find their friend, Axel.

"Axel? Are you in here?" Draxon calls

The two boys looked around the room, but didn't see Axel anywhere. Saïx walks up behind them, assuring them that Axel had left.

"If you're looking for Axel, he's gone." Saïx says

Having said that, Saïx moves past Roxas and Draxon, heading over to his usual spot infront of the big window.

"What do I do with this?" Roxas asks looking down at the popsicle stick in his hand

Draxon looked down at his popsicle stick as well. The two boys were soon snapped back into reality when Saïx called them.

"Roxas. Draxon." Saïx calls

Roxas and Draxon put their popsicle sticks back into their pockets and walked over to Saïx. With him was Xion, standing on his right.

"Starting today, you will both be working alongside Xion. We need you to eliminate a specific Heartless. Draxon, you are in charge." Saïx says

"Really? Uh... Okay." Draxon says

( _Twilight Town_ )

Draxon, Roxas, and Xion step out of the dark corridor and arrive at the Sandlot in Twilight Town.

"Okay. The Heartless we're looking for should be somewhere in town. Let's go." Draxon says

And so, the three Nobodies began their mission. Moving from the Sandlot, the trio came into Station Heights and looked around for their target. They headed up the slope and were met with three Dire Plants.

One of the Dire Plants launched a seed from it's maw straight at Roxas, who sends it back with a swing of his Keyblade, taking it out with it's own attack. Draxon tosses his Keyblade at the Dire Plant in the middle, cutting the Heartless horizontally in half. And Xion shot a fireball from her hand at the third Dire Plant, sending it ablaze.

After dealing with the Heartless, the trio headed into the Back Alley. Looking to their left, they noticed that an entrance to the subway tunnels was open. They figured that the Heartless they were searching for would be somewhere inside.

"Maybe it's in there." Roxas says

"Inside the subway tunnels." Draxon says

The three Nobodies headed into the subway tunnel and continued their search underground. The trio walked through the passageways, searching for their target. They soon found the Heartless in a large tunnel. This Heartless was a large Poison Plant.

Roxas and Draxon both leapt up to the Poison Plant's level and slashed away at it's head with their Keyblades. Their attacks inflicted some damage to the Heartless, but it did not flinch. In retaliation, the Heartless reared it's head back and flew it forward at the two boys. Roxas and Draxon both jumped back just as the Poison Plant smashed it's head into the ground.

"This Heartless seems to be a bit strong." Roxas says

"Just keep hitting it. It'll come down eventually." Draxon says

Draxon jumped up at the Heartless with Roxas following his lead. They kept on slashing the Heartless until it swung it's head around, forcing them back. The Poison Plant reared it's head back again. This time, it launched a poison seed from it's maw. Roxas and Draxon both leapt away from the seed's path, jumping over to the sides. The seed hit the wall behind them, melting away the metal.

"Whoa!" Draxon exclaims surprisingly

The Poison Plant launched more seeds at the two boys while they jumped away.

"Those seeds have acid! Watch it!" Draxon warns

The Heartless continued shooting more seeds from it's maw, intent on doing harm to the two Keyblade Wielders. Roxas and Draxon jumped and rolled out of the way of every seed that was sent at them. One came close to Draxon's face. Draxon leaned his body over to the right, missing the seed as it flew inches past his face. Before the two boys could make their move, a fireball struck the Poison Plant, lighting it up in flames. The Heartless was burned up in the flames and was destroyed soon after.

Roxas and Draxon watched as the Heartless vanished. They looked at each other with confused expressions. Then, they looked back at Xion who cast the fire spell, having her open right-hand stretched forward. She stood straight up and stared at the two boys while they stared back at her with stunned looks on their faces.

"Uh... wow. Nice one, Xion." Draxon says

Roxas and Draxon look back at where the Heartless once was.

"Alright. Our job's done. Let's get out of here." Draxon says

Having defeated the Poison Plant, the trio left the underground tunnels, heading back up to the surface.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon, Roxas, and Xion made their way back to the Sandlot. Draxon stretched his right-hand out and he opened a dark corridor leading back to the castle. He then turned his head right, looking right at Xion.

"Xion, you can go ahead and head back to the castle. Me and Roxas are gonna stick around for a while longer." Draxon says

Xion stared at the two boys, giving no reply, but went ahead and walked into the dark corridor.

( _Moments later_ )

Roxas and Draxon both went up to their hangout at the top of the clock tower. They got some Sea-Salt ice cream and sat silently together. Since Axel left for Castle Oblivion, they both felt lonely without him. Draxon stared at his ice cream for a moment until he decided to break the silence.

"Boy, things sure are quiet without Axel around." Draxon says

"Yeah. But at least we have each other, right?" Roxas says

"Yeah, that's true." Draxon says

The two boys turned their gaze toward the sunset and took in the view. Although they did have each other, they still missed their friend Axel.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Roxas and Draxon take on their duties as the Organization's Keyblade Wielders, hunting down Heartless and collecting hearts until Axel leaves on an assignment at Castle Oblivion, leaving Roxas and Draxon to do their missions alone. How will the two boys cope without their good friend, Axel? Perhaps with Xion? Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


	4. New Companion

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 _ **~ Day 24 ~**_

 _ **Silence Broken**_

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Roxas and Draxon both walked into the Grey Area and saw Xion hanging around Demyx and Xigbar as they were talking. Demyx sat on one of the couches while Xigbar sat in the other one across from him. Xion just stood nearby, listening to their conversation.

"This place is so much nicer without the loudmouths." Demyx says

"Loudmouths?" Roxas asks

"Those bossy coworkers sent to Castle Oblivion. The 'Dream Team'. Dreamy for me 'cause they're gone!" Demyx says

"Well, I suppose it's too bad you and Poppet didn't get to spend a little more quality time with them." Xigbar says

"Poppet?" Draxon asks

"I'm talkin' about Xion, kiddo. Who else?" Xigbar says

"Kiddo?" Draxon says

Saïx walks up to Roxas and Draxon, interrupting the conversation.

"Roxas, Draxon, get to work. You and Xion are to execute another mission today." Saïx says

"Yes, Saïx." Draxon says nodding his head in understanding

Draxon looks over at Roxas and Xion.

"Let's go." Draxon says

( _Twilight Town_ )

Draxon, Roxas, and Xion walk out of a dark corridor and arrive in the Back Alley in Twilight Town. Their mission today was to hunt down a group of Heartless called Deserters. They begin their search heading down the stairs to the Sandlot. And almost immediately, they find a large group of Deserters in the Sandlot, scurrying around like and Roxas both summoned their Keyblades and they leapt into action. Though they were fast, the Heartless were easy to defeat.

Draxon tried to swing his Keyblade at a Deserter, but it quickly darted away from him. Again, he tries to strike another one with his Keyblade, but it sped away from him.

"Damn! These things are fast!" Draxon says

Eventually, after moments of trying, the trio manage to anticipate the movements of the Heartless and attack.

Draxon brought his Keyblade down on one Deserter, slicing it in half. Another Deserter tried to kick him from the left, but he leapt away and countered with a right slash. Draxon targeted another Deserter and tossed his Keyblade at it with a vertical toss. The Keyblade flies into the Deserter's chest, the blade stabbing through it's body.

Roxas slices through a Deserter with an upward slash, then goes through another Deserter with a downward slash. One Deserter tried to kick him from behind, but Roxas quickly took notice and leapt away, countering the attack with a swipe of his Keyblade.

Xion aimed her right-hand at a Deserter and shot a fireball straight at it. The fireball hits the Heartless with direct impact, blasting it into oblivion. Xion targeted another Deserter and shot another fireball from her hand, destroying it as well.

It took the trio a while to deal with the Heartless. With every Deserter they bring down, another one replaces it. But regardless of how many Heartless there were, they stood firm and continued to slay each and every one.

After minutes of fighting, Draxon finished off the last Deserter by cleaving his Keyblade down on it, destroying the Heartless right on the spot.

"Huh! Good riddance." Draxon sighs

Draxon de-summoned his Keyblade, then turned and looked back at Roxas and Xion.

"Alright. That does it for today. Let's go." Draxon says

Having defeated the Deserters, the trio headed back up to the Back Alley. Draxon stretched his right-hand out and opened a dark corridor back to the castle. Then, he and Roxas turned to face Xion.

"Roxas and I got someplace to be again today, so you can go on ahead without us, Xion." Draxon says

Draxon and Roxas walk past Xion, heading for the clock tower. But just as they past her, they heard a voice.

"Dra... Draxon."

"Huh?" Roxas says baffled

"What?" Draxon says baffled

The two boys turn around and saw that the voice came from Xion. After all these days of silence, Xion finally spoke.

"Xion... You just said my name." Draxon says

Xion turned and looked at the two boys.

"Draxon... is your name." Xion says

"Uh... Yeah." Draxon says

Xion turns and looks at Roxas next.

"And your name is Roxas, isn't it?" Xion says

"Yeah." Roxas says

Xion stared at the two boys for a while, then walked into the dark corridor, returning to the castle.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon and Roxas went up to their hangout at the top of the clock tower and sat along the edge, eating Sea-Salt ice cream. They were both thinking about Xion. Ever since they met her, she barely said anything. But today, she finally broke her silence. The two boys continued eating their ice cream and looked out towards the sunset, enjoying the view.

 ** _~ Day 25 ~_**

 ** _Three Keys_**

Roxas and Draxon entered the Grey Area and approached Xion.

"Morning, Xion." Draxon greets

Xion turned and stared at the two boys, being silent again.

"Uh... Is something wrong?" Roxas asks

"Good... Morning, Roxas. Morning, Draxon." Xion greets

As they greeted each other, the trio heard footsteps approaching them. They turned and saw Saïx walk up to them.

"The three of you are to leave for your next mission. It is of critical importance. A giant Heartless has surfaced. It must be exterminated." Saïx says

The three young Nobodies nodded in acknowledgement and they set out for Twilight Town.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Draxon, Roxas, and Xion step out of a dark corridor and arrive in the Back Alley of Twilight Town.

"Roxas. Draxon." Xion says

The two boy turn and look at Xion as she spoke to them. Then, Xion pulled back her hood, revealing her face. She looked very much like her persona, Kairi, only her hair was black.

"Best of luck today." Xion says

"Yeah." Roxas says

"Thanks. You too. Let's go." Draxon says

With that, the three young teens began their mission. They came out of the Back Alley and into Station Heights. Going up the slope, the trio headed for the Station Plaza. Coming into the plaza, the three teens looked around, but did not see the Heartless anywhere.

"There's no Heartless here." Xion says

"Then it must be elsewhere. Let's head back." Draxon says

Just as the trio turned around, they were shocked to see a large black mass forming infront of them. The black mass took shape as it emerged from the ground. Soon, towering above the trio was a Darkside.

"What is that thing?" Roxas asks

"Our target." Xion says

"No matter what it is, let's take it down." Draxon says

"Right." Roxas and Xion say in unison

The Darkside raises it's right-hand, grips it into a fist, and sends a punch down at the three teens. Draxon, Roxas, and Xion instinctively jump back, dodging the punch. The Darkside's punch smashes into the ground, creating a black pool of darkness and a mild shockwave. From the dark pool, five Shadows emerged and stalked toward the trio.

Draxon cuts down one Shadow with a downward slash, then cuts down another one with a right slash. Roxas thrusts his Keyblade at a Shadow, then slices through another one with a right slash. Xion aimed her right-hand at the last remaining Shadow and takes it out with a fire spell, blasting it to oblivion.

With the Shadows out of the way, the trio focused their attention back toward the Darkside.

Roxas and Draxon leapt up at the Darkside and slashed it's head multiple times with their Keyblades. Draxon swung his Keyblade with a left diagonal slash, a right slash, and a downward slash while Roxas attacked with a downward slash, an upward slash, and a reverse roundhouse slash. Xion kept her distance and helped the two boys out with some fireballs launched from her hand.

The Darkside crosses it's arms, then spreads them out, creating a dark force within the heart-shaped hole in its body, sending dark orbs flying at the trio. Roxas and Draxon stood up front with their Keyblade, deflecting the dark orbs back at the Heartless. Draxon leapt up at the Darkside and swung his Keyblade at it. He struck the Heartless in the face with a left slash, a right slash, and a downward slash. The Darkside tries to throw a punch at Draxon, but he jumps away from the blow just as the giant fist smashes into the ground. This gave Roxas his chance to attack. Roxas runs up along the Darkside's arm and swings his Keyblade across it's face with a right slash. He follows up with two downward slashes and a reverse roundhouse strike. The Darkside swings it's bulky arm at Roxas, who shields himself with his Keyblade, holding it out infront of him. The young teen was knocked down toward Draxon and Xion, but he caught himself, landing right on his feet with his Keyblade held out behind his back.

The Darkside reaches into the dark pool with both it's hands and scoops up an orb of darkness. Raising it to the sky, the dark orb split into many smaller orbs which rained down on the trio, who quickly moved out of the path of the orbs as they fell down toward them. Draxon and Roxas managed to deflect some of the orbs back at the Heartless, dishing out some damage.

Draxon leapt up at the Darkside with Roxas following his lead and the two boys attacked together using their Keyblades. Draxon swung his Keyblade at the Darkside's face with a right uppercut slash, a left slash, a right slash, and a downward slash. Roxas struck at the Darkside with an uppercut slash, two cross slashes, and a downward slash. Then, Draxon and Roxas both struck the Darkside with a combined powerful strike, damaging the Heartless greatly.

Just when they thought it was over, the Darkside raised it's right-hand and sent a punch flying toward Roxas, who defended himself with his Keyblade. The punch sent Roxas flying and it knocked the Keyblade out of his grip. The Keyblade slid across the ground, stopping right at Xion's feet. Then, to everyone's surprise, the Keyblade disappeared in a flash of light and reappeared in Xion's hand. Xion stared at the Keyblade for a brief moment, but quickly brought her focus back on the Heartless. She charges toward the Darkside and slashes through it's body with a lightning fast strike. The Heartless fell forward and collapsed onto the ground before disappearing into oblivion.

"Wow." Roxas and Draxon say in unison

"Xion, we didn't know you could wield the Keyblade." Roxas says

"You know... neither did I." Xion says looking at the Keyblade

The three friends laughed a bit. Roxas and Draxon looked at each other with the same idea forming in their heads.

"Hey. You know what you earned, Xion?" Draxon says

"You earned the icing on the cake." Roxas says

"Huh?" Xion says feeling confused

Draxon took hold of Xion's hand, catching her attention. Xion looked down at her hand, then looked back up at Draxon.

"C'mon. We'll show you." Draxon says

( _Moments later_ )

Roxas, Xion, and Draxon all sat together at the top of the clock tower. For her first time being up at this spot, Xion was actually liking it.

"This is such a great spot... How'd you find it?" Xion says

"Our friend, Axel brought us up here. This is our hangout after missions." Draxon says

"Here ya go." Roxas says handing Xion an ice cream

Xion took the ice cream and stared at it.

"It's Sea-Salt ice cream." Draxon says

"C'mon. Try it." Roxas says

Xion took a bite out of the ice cream.

"It's sweet. And salty too." Xion says

"It's good, right?" Roxas asks

"Mm-hmm." Xion says nodding her head

"Me, Draxon, and Axel, we meet up here for ice cream after work." Roxas says

"And we watch the sunset. It's such a nice view." Draxon says

"This flavor ice cream is Axel's favorite." Roxas says

"Sounds like it's yours too." Xion says

"Yeah. Axel brought me and Draxon here to eat ice cream on our first day with the Organization. And then, after our first mission, he got us ice cream again. Said it was 'Icing on the cake.'" Roxas says

"Like you and Draxon did for me?" Xion says

"Yeah." Roxas says

"You guys must be really close." Xion says

"Well, me, Axel, and Roxas, we're all friends after all." Draxon says

"Friends... Do you think I could be a friend?" Xion asks

"Of course, Xion! Absolutely!" Draxon says

"When Axel gets back, we'll all have ice cream together." Roxas says

"Okay." Xion says

The three friends looked at each other and smiled. Then, Roxas, Draxon, and Xion turned and watched the sunset, enjoying the view.

 _ **~ Day 26 ~**_

 _ **Terminated**_

( _The World That Never Was_ )

It was another day in the Organization as Draxon woke up on his bed inside his room. He sat upright and stretched his arms.

"Okay. What's today's mission going to be? Hopefully, it'll be with Roxas and Xion." Draxon says

Draxon walked out of his room and met up with Roxas.

"Hey, Roxas." Draxon greets

"Hey." Roxas greets

"C'mon. Let's go see what our mission will be." Draxon says

The two boys walked down the halls of the castle and into the Grey Area. There, they saw Xaldin and Demyx talking to each other.

"Then what the blazes did happen?" Xaldin asks

"Don't look at me! I just found out a few minutes ago." Demyx says

Draxon and Roxas looked over to the left and saw Xigbar standing by himself away from the two.

"Is everything alright?" Draxon asks

"As if. Word has it that one of the members sent to Castle Oblivion has been terminated." Xigbar says

"What?!" Draxon and Roxas gasp in unison

"Terminated?" Draxon says feeling shocked

"But that would mean..." Roxas says

Sa x approaches the trio, interrupting their conversation.

"Roxas, Draxon, you are to go with Xigbar to a new world for recon." Saïx says

"Is it true then about Castle Oblivion?" Roxas asks

"That's none of your concern." Saïx says

"What about Axel? Any word of him?" Draxon asks

"Who knows. Perhaps he may have been among the lost." Saïx says

"What...?" Roxas says feeling shocked

"Oh no..." Draxon gasps

Saïx left the room while Roxas and Draxon stood where they were, upset over what they had just heard. Xion walked over to the two boys, feeling concerned for them.

"Roxas, Draxon, are you two alright?" Xion asks

"I'm don't know, Xion." Draxon says

"C'mon, boys. There's work to be done." Xigbar says

Xigbar stretched his right-hand out to his side and a dark corridor opened up for them. Their assignment was a recon mission to a world they have never seen before. It's name: Agrabah.

( _Agrabah_ )

Everything was quiet in Agrabah as the streets were empty with not a citizen in sight. Even the marketplace was completely empty. The dark corridor opened up just outside the doors leading to the palace. Xigbar, Roxas, and Draxon all walked out the dark portal and arrived inside the desert city.

"Ugh, a few minutes out here and already I'm fryin'." Xigbar says

Xigbar looked at Roxas and Draxon and saw that they were still depressed about what happened at Castle Oblivion.

"C'mon, kiddos. Let's get this investigation done and over with." Xigbar says

Roxas and Draxon were both stood silent, still depressed about the news of Castle Oblivion.

"What's wrong? Dazzled by the new scenery?" Xigbar asks

"Do you think it's true about the members who were at Castle Oblivion?" Roxas asks

"Ha, is that seriously what's eating you?" Xigbar asks

Xigbar looks at Draxon and saw that he too was depressed.

"How 'bout you, Draxon? You feeling the same?" Xigbar asks

"We may have lost a comrade. Maybe multiple comrades. Doesn't that bother you at all?" Draxon asks

"As if. Look, the faster we get this mission done, the sooner you can head back to the castle and get your answers." Xigbar says

"Fine." Draxon says

"Good. Now let's go." Xigbar says

The trio scanned their surroundings, taking in every detail to the environment. Their attention was immediately drawn to the tall doors which led to the royal palace.

"This sure is a big door." Draxon says

"Probably leads to the royal palace." Xigbar says

"Probably? Are you guessing?" Roxas asks in a questioning manner

"As if. Take a good look. High walls, ornamental carvings. The construction's different from the rest of the city." Xigbar says

The trio turned away from the palace doors and scanned the rest of their surroundings. Their investigation came to a deserted stores on the left.

"This store looks deserted." Draxon says

"Yeah, as in 'full of desert'." Xigbar says

Looking at the other side of the area, Roxas saw some glass dishes sitting on a stall, covered in sand.

"These dishes are covered in sand." Roxas says

Draxon turned his attention toward the path leading on to the rest of the city and saw some lumber wood leaning against the right-side of the passageway.

"What's all this lumber wood for?" Draxon asks

The trio continued their recon into the next part of the city, heading into the empty streets. They saw that some of the stalls were partially buried in sand. But there were also some scaffolding built ontop of the stalls.

"These stalls are almost buried in sand." Draxon says

"Remind me to build my city in someplace less dusty." Xigbar jokes

The trio looked at the stone walls that made up the city and saw that they were falling apart.

"Some of these walls are coming apart. This must be an old city." Draxon says

"As if. Look closer. The bricks aren't eroded. This damage was done recently." Xigbar says

"But by what?" Roxas asks

Continuing on with their recon, Draxon saw a pile of rope sitting on the ground nearby.

"There's some rope here." Draxon says

"Rope and wood. What's all this for?" Roxas asks

The trio moved on to the next area, coming to the gates of Agrabah. And just as they had seen from the other parts of the city, the area around them was covered in sand.

"This place is swimming in sand. I guess them's the breaks when you build your city in the middle of the desert. Past that, not much to mention, though. Seems like a pretty normal town, yeah?" Xigbar says

Roxas and Draxon stood silent, not uttering a word.

"Hey, you two still with me? I've seen you both space out before, but this is just ridiculous." Xigbar says

"What? We're fine." Draxon says

"Let me guess. Castle Oblivion?" Xigbar asks

The two boys looked away from Xigbar.

"Like I said: the longer we're out here, the longer you're gonna be in the dark. So let's move on with this mission." Xigbar says

Focusing back on the mission at hand, Roxas and Draxon scouted the environment, looking for anymore details about the city. Draxon noticed that a door was boarded up on the side of a building on his right.

"This door's boarded shut." Draxon says

Roxas looked over to his left and saw a really big pile of sand next to the city gates.

"Look at the size of this dune." Roxas says

"That's cause we're next to the city gates." Xigbar says

Having gathered enough intel, Roxas, Draxon, and Xigbar walked through the city, heading back to the palace gates.

"Okay, so we've got an entire city under layers of sand. What do you two make of it?" Xigbar says

"Well, we are in the middle of the desert. You think this could be normal for these people?" Draxon says

"Heh, heh, normal? As if. Look at the city walls. They were built high to prevent something like this." Xigbar says

"Okay. Then, maybe this city was hit by a sandstorm. I mean that would explain the damage to the walls." Roxas says

"Attaboy, Roxas. You're right on the nose. But this place got hit not once or twice by the look of it. I guess the walls around the city weren't high enough. Now, how 'bout the lumber and rope?" Xigbar says

"Maybe these people are trying to repair what's left of the city. They got all these building supplies lying around, which explains the scaffolding." Draxon says

"Bingo. These people got hit hard. They're making a major effort to rebuild. And someone's leading the operation." Xigbar says

"But who?" Draxon says

As they came toward the palace gates, the trio saw two figures talking to each other. These two were Aladdin and Princess Jasmine. Roxas, Draxon, and Xigbar quickly hid behind the abandoned store, quietly leaping over the counter and hiding underneath.

"Those must be the locals." Xigbar says

"You should get some rest, Aladdin." Jasmine says

"I'll be okay, Jasmine. Besides, the sandstorm's finally let up. Now's our chance to patch up the city." Aladdin says

"That's true, but still... you'll run yourself ragged at this rate." Jasmine says

"Jasmine, don't worry. I'm fine. And since we don't know when the next storm will hit, we need to get everything running again before it does." Aladdin says

"If only Genie were around..." Jasmine says

"I miss him too, but this isn't a job for magic. Agrabah's our city. We need to be the one's to fix it up." Aladdin says

"Of course... You're right." Jasmine says

"I should get back to work." Aladdin says

"Wait. I'll help too." Jasmine says

Aladdin nodded his head and both he and Jasmine went out to fix up the city. Roxas, Draxon, and Xigbar came out of their hiding spot and watched as they left.

"So that guy must be spearheading the city's repair efforts. But why him? He doesn't look like royalty." Xigbar says

"Should he be?" Roxas asks

"It's not easy getting others to follow you, especially if it involves work. It's the kind of thing you'd expect someone in the palace to be doing. They call the shots, right?" Xigbar says

"True." Draxon says

"He definitely wasn't royalty. The girl next to him. Now she was royalty." Xigbar says

"So what now? Do we look around inside the palace?" Roxas asks

"No need. We have our answers, and we even got a peek at their leaders." Xigbar says

"So, that's it? We can head back home?" Draxon asks

"Why? Did you leave the toaster running?" Xigbar jokes

Draxon looks down.

"You know why." Draxon says

"Heh, heh. Yeah, we can head back. Let's go." Xigbar says

Xigbar stretches his right-hand out to his side and a dark corridor opens up infront of the trio. Roxas and Draxon were about to head into the dark portal when a Scarlet Tango appears behind them. The two boys quickly turned around and summoned their Keyblades. But before they could do anything, Xigbar summoned one of his Arrowguns and shot the Heartless dead, destroying it. Roxas and Draxon de-summoned their Keyblades and watched as the released heart floated upwards into the sky and disappeared.

"Hey. What happens when Heartless are destroyed?" Roxas asks

"The hearts remain. And then those hearts gather together to form the great Kingdom Hearts." Xigbar says

"Well, then, what happens when a Nobody is destroyed?" Draxon asks

"What's there to leave behind? We're not even supposed to 'be' in the first place." Xigbar says

"And the members who were at Castle Oblivion? Where'd they go?" Roxas asks

"Nothing's left of them." Xigbar says

"In which case, we'll never see them again?" Draxon asks

"That's right." Xigbar says

Roxas and Draxon looked down upon hearing that. If Axel was lost at Castle Oblivion, the two boys would never see him again. Xigbar turned toward the dark corridor and looked over his shoulder at the two boys.

"You coming?" Xigbar asks

"Oh, yeah." Roxas says

Xigbar heads into the dark corridor and disappears. Roxas looks at Draxon who nods his head. The two boys started walking toward the dark corridor until Roxas stopped dead in his tracks and clutched his head. His body was suddenly engulfed in pain.

"Ngh! What's... happening?" Roxas grunts in pain

Roxas fell down on his knees, then fell flat on his stomach, lying unconscious.

"Roxas!" Draxon cries out

Before Draxon could do anything, he too felt pain all over his body, but mostly in his head. Draxon clutched his head with both hands as he tried to endure it. Unfortunately, the intense pain completely overwhelmed him and he screamed out in agony.

"Aaaaagh!" Draxon screams out in pain

Draxon fell down on his knees, then fell and rolled over on his back, slipping into unconsciousness. In their minds, the two boys saw images of Axel, Xion, and Namin , another girl who they didn't know.

 _ **~ Day 27 ~**_

 _ **The Dark Margin**_

( _The Realm of Darkness_ )

A hooded figure sat on a rock, looking out toward the dark sea. He was soon joined by two other figures who also had their hoods up. These two were Roxas and Draxon.

"I've been to see them... They look a lot like you." The hooded figure says

"Who are you?" Roxas asks

"I'm what's left. Or... maybe I'm all that ever was." The hooded figure says

"We meant your name." Draxon says

"My name is of no importance." The hooded figure says

The hooded figure turns his head and looks at the two boys.

"What about you? Do you remember your true name?" The first figure asks

"My true name... is..." Roxas and Draxon say in unison

The two boys tried to remember their true names, but nothing came into their minds.

"You have been with us for six days now." The first figure says

The hooded figure stands up and folded his hood back, revealing his face. It was none other than Xemnas.

"The time has come." Xemnas says

Xemnas walks past Roxas and Draxon, silently uttering the names _'Sora'_ and _'Devon'_ before walking away.

( _The World That Never Was_ )

In the Present Time, Xemnas and Saïx stood in Roxas' room, staring down at the boy as he laid unconscious in his bed.

"Will they wake from this?" Xemnas asks

"I am told Roxas will return, provided the hero is stripped of all his memories. As for Draxon, it is uncertain whether he will wake or not." Saïx says

"Then much hinges on Castle Oblivion." Xemnas says

"Xion has gained power over the Keyblade, just as we intended. She can fill in their shoes for the time being." Saïx says

Saïx left the room while Xemnas stayed behind, continuing to stare down at Roxas. But soon, he exited the room, leaving Roxas to sleep. Xemnas came over to Draxon's room, but stopped and looked at the door, not even bothering to head inside. He soon left and disappeared within the halls of the castle.

 _ **~ Day 49 ~**_

 _ **Sleep**_

Many days passed since Roxas and Draxon fell into their comatose state. Xion took over their missions, fulfilling her duty to the Organization as a wielder of the Keyblade. She would often visit the two boys, telling them about her missions, and the worlds she, Xion went to pay the two boys a visit. She saw Roxas first in his room while he slept.

"I went to a new world today. I couldn't believe how beautiful it was. I hope that you and Draxon can join me next time." Xion says

Xion took some colorful shells out of the right pocket of her black coat and placed them on the side of the bed, alongside the pillow.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow, Roxas." Xion says

After visiting Roxas, Xion went over to Draxon's room next door.

"Hi, Draxon. I visited a new world today. It was so beautiful. I wish you and Roxas could've seen it. Maybe someday the two of you can join me when I go again." Xion says

As she did for Roxas, Xion placed some shells on the side of his bed.

"Sleep well, Draxon." Xion says

With that, Xion took her leave and headed out the room.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So, Roxas and Draxon are on their own, going about their daily missions for the Organization. But worry not, they are paired up with Xion, who eventually opens up to them. Soon enough, they become friends, enjoying each other's company. But when Roxas and Draxon hear the grim news about the members sent to Castle Oblivion, things turn out bad for the two boys. And it only gets worse when they both fall into a coma around the same time Sora is put to sleep for a year inside Castle Oblivion. How will things turn out from here? Will Roxas and Draxon ever wake up from their deep slumber? Will they ever see Axel again? And will they learn the truth of their existence? Only time will tell. Another thing, I'm sure you've all noticed that I've split up the last chapter. It never occurred to me how lengthy the chapter was, so I've fixed that. I'll try and be more careful on how I post these chapters. Anyway, let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


	5. Lonely Solitude

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 **~ Day 50 ~**

 **Familiar Sound**

( _The World That Never Was_ )

After being unconscious for three weeks, Draxon finally woke up from his coma. He sat upright on his bed and placed his right-hand on his head.

"Oh, my head is killing me." Draxon says

Draxon looked around and saw that he was back in his room. He had no idea what had happened to him and Roxas. The last thing he remembered was the two of them were finishing their recon mission with Xigbar in Agrabah. But he didn't recall what happened then. Draxon looked down to the left-side of his bed and saw a bunch of colorful shells. He scooped them up with his hand and gazed down at them.

"Who left these here?" Draxon asks

Draxon placed the shells up on the window sil on his right and got up to investigate. He headed out of his room to the Grey Area. Once he got there, he found the room to be empty with no one in sight.

"Draxon?" A male voice says

Draxon turned around and saw Roxas approaching him.

"What happened?" Roxas asks

"I don't know." Draxon says

Roxas looked into the Grey Area and he too noticed that nobody was there.

"Where is everyone?" Roxas asks

The two boys looked at each other and shrugged.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Roxas and Draxon traveled to Twilight Town and sat at their usual spot at the top of the clock tower. They were both trying to figure out what happened to them the day they fell into their coma. As they sat there, they heard a voice.

"Roxas?! Draxon?!" A female voice exclaims

The two boys looked over to their left and saw Xion, who was surprised to see they were awake.

"Xion. What happened to us?" Draxon says

"You were both asleep for a long time. Almost three weeks." Xion says

"Three weeks?!" Roxas and Draxon say startled

"Saïx said there was no telling when you two would wake up. But, I'm glad you're both awake now." Xion says

"I kinda feel like a zombie, though..." Roxas says

"Heh, you and me both, man." Draxon says

The three friends chuckled at this.

"Hey, Xion. Did you leave seashells on our beds for us?" Draxon asks

"Yes. I gave them to you both as get well gifts." Xion says

Xion dug into the left-pocket of her coat and took out two seashells. One was a medium-sized, cream-colored fighting conch while the other was a white scallop shell. Draxon's shell had a well-developed body whorl, a and a short pointed spire.

"Speaking of which, I brought you guys these." Xion says

Xion gave Roxas the white seashell while Draxon was given the conch shell.

"Thanks." Roxas says

"I've been picking one up on every mission." Xion says

While Roxas looked at his seashell, Draxon ran his thumb over the shell, feeling it's smooth exterior. He liked the way the seashell looked.

"Hold it up to your ear." Xion says

The two boys did as requested and they held up their shells to their ears, closing their eyes. They could hear the calm sound of crashing waves along the ocean.

"It's the ocean... I can hear the sounds of the ocean." Draxon says

As they listened to the sounds of the ocean, they both saw an image of Devon, Sora, and Kairi looking out at the ocean in the sunset.

 _ **~ Day 51 ~**_

 _ **Missing**_

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Draxon and Roxas walked into the Grey Area and saw that Saïx, Demyx, and Xigbar were in the room. Returning to their usual duties, the two boys went over to Saïx for their next mission.

"You're awake." Saïx says

"Did you ever find out about what happened at Castle Oblivion?" Roxas asks

"We're looking into what befell them?" Saïx says

"Uh, excuse me? 'Them?' You still don't know?" Draxon asks

"What I do know is that I don't owe either of you any explanations. Now get to work. You will both be on your own for a while. Wherever the other members are, they're certaintly not here to help. Your mission for today is to dispatch some Fire Plant Heartless in Agrabah. Report back once your missions are complete." Saïx says

Roxas and Draxon both nodded in acknowledgement.

( _Agrabah_ )

Roxas and Draxon both step out of a corridor of darkness, arriving in Agrabah just outside the palace gates. As they arrived, they saw Aladdin and Princess Jasmine talking. They quickly hid behind some crates and listened in to their conversation.

"Another Sandstorm? Are you sure, Aladdin?" Jasmine asks

"Unfortunately, yes. All the merchants were talking about it." Aladdin says

"This is terrible..." Jasmine says

"That's only one of the things that's got me worried." Aladdin says

"Why? What else is wrong?" Jasmine asks

"The Heartless. They've been showing up all over Agrabah." Aladdin says

"Heartless?!" Jasmine says in shock

"Yeah. They always appear right before a sandstorm hits. I thought it was just a coincidence during the last storm, but..." Aladdin says

"Oh no... I hope this isn't a sign of things to come." Jasmine says

Aladdin and Jasmine headed back to the palace while Roxas and Draxon watched them go.

"Sounds like the Heartless are giving them a hard time. It's bad enough they have to deal with sandstorms, but trying to avoid the Heartless. I don't know how, but I feel kinda bad for those two." Draxon says

"Yeah. I wish there was someway we could help." Roxas says

"Let's just focus back on our mission." Draxon says

The two boys searched the area near the palace for the Heartless. They didn't have to look far as a Scarlet Tango, a Dire Plant, and a Fire Plant appeared before them. Draxon and Roxas immediately summoned their Keyblades and engaged the Heartless.

Roxas hit the Scarlet Tango with four horizontal slashes, swinging his Keyblade left and right, landing each hit. He then finishes with a somersault slash which makes short work of the Heartless.

Draxon dashed forward at the Dire Plant on his right and struck it with an upward slash. He follows up with a downward slash, striking it's head, then he swings his Keyblade with a right slash, cutting the Heartless' head from it's stem. From there, Draxon brings his Keyblade down on the Heartless, slicing it's head in half, utterly destroying it.

The Fire Plant shot a fireball at Draxon while his back was turned, but he noticed the attack and whirled around, swinging his Keyblade, sending the fiery projectile back at the Heartless. The fireball hardly fazed the Fire Plant, but that did not stop Draxon from striking back. As he did with the Dire Plant, Draxon sliced off the Fire Plant's head from it's stem with a swift strike, then struck it into oblivion with a downward slash.

The two boys were about to move on into the city streets when another Fire Plant tried to get the jump on them. The Heartless appeared on top of one of the stalls to the left of the palace gates and it shot a fireball aimed at Roxas. Draxon caught sight of the Heartless and quickly jumped infront of Roxas, sending the fireball back at the Fire Plant with a swing of his Keyblade. Of course, it hardly did any damage. With the Heartless out of reach, Draxon hurled his Keyblade at the dark creature with a left toss. The Keyblade flew straight at the Fire Plant and sliced it's head off from the stem, sending the dark creature into oblivion. Roxas barely saw what happened, but nevertheless he thanked Draxon for defending him.

"Thanks." Roxas says

"Don't mention it." Draxon says nodding his head

Continuing their mission, Draxon and Roxas proceeded into the streets. Here, they encountered more Heartless, consisting of two Scarlet Tangos, a Dire Plant, and two Fire Plants.

One of the Scarlet Tangos launched a fireball at the two boys. Draxon and Roxas both leapt away from the fireball as it hits the ground, creating a small explosion on impact. Roxas rushes at the two Scarlet Tangos as they shoot bouncing fireballs at him. Roxas jumped left to right, dodging the fire projectiles as he closed in on the Heartless. Once he reaches them, he leaps up and strikes down the Scarlet Tango on his left, then quickly strikes the other one on his right, taking them both out with one hit each.

Draxon sped past Roxas as he touched the ground, targeting the Dire Plant ahead of him. The Dire Plant launched a seed from it's maw at Draxon, but he knocks it away with a swing of his Keyblade. Draxon soon got close to the Heartless and strikes with a reverse roundhouse slash, taking it out right on the spot. After dispatching the Heartless, Draxon sets his sights on the two Fire Plants infront of him which were stationed on the sides of the pathway that led to the city gates. One of the Fire Plants shot a fireball at Draxon, but he jumped and rolled to the right, dodging the attack. Jumping back up on his feet, Draxon rushed toward the Heartless on the left and cuts it down with a left slash across the stem. The other Fire Plant charged up and prepared to shoot a fireball at Draxon's back. Reacting quickly, Draxon turned around and struck the Heartless with a right slash, destroying it before it could launch it's attack.

Moving on, Draxon and Roxas came up to the city gates where they were met with a third group of Heartless. Three Fire Plants appeared infront of the two boys, who immediately summoned their Keyblades. But before they could make a move, a Barrier Master Heartless appeared near the city gates. Using it's large spell book, the Barrier Master conjured up a magic spell for the Fire Plants, giving them full immunity to the Keyblade Wielder's attacks. Draxon and Roxas both knew their attacks would do nothing against the Fire Plants now. Their only chance to remove the spell was to eliminate the Barrier Master.

The Fire Plant trio made their first move, each launching a singe fireball in unison toward the two Keyblade Wielders. Reacting quickly, Draxon and Roxas both leapt away from each other, dodging the three fireballs. Draxon rolled onto his feet and he sets his sights on the Barrier Master. While the Fire Plants focused their attention on Roxas, Draxon made his way around, rushing toward the Barrier Master. As he closed distance, he raised his Keyblade over his right-shoulder, preparing to strike. Once he got close enough, he swung his Keyblade down at the Heartless. The attack hits the Barrier Master, knocking it's spell book away, out of it's hands, leaving it stunned. Draxon went on the offensive, striking the Heartless numerous times with fierce, quick slashes. He soon finishes off the Heartless by driving his Keyblade into it's body, stabbing it in the chest.

With the Barrier Master defeated, the spell it cast on the Fire Plants also went away, leaving them vulnerable. Draxon turned around and saw that the Fire Plants were relentlessly attacking Roxas with fireballs while he rolled away from them. Rushing to his aid, Draxon took his Keyblade and cut through the three Fire Plants with a right slash, taking them out with one strike.

"Huh. And that's that." Draxon sighs

"Nice one, Draxon. Thanks again." Roxas says

"No problem. Let's head back." Draxon says

Having completed their mission, the two boys left Agrabah and traveled to Twilight Town.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Draxon and Roxas came up to their usual spot at the top of the clock tower.

"Xion's not here yet." Roxas says

"She must still be on duty." Draxon says

The two boys sat down along the ledge and gazed out at the sunset, taking in the view and enjoying the afternoon.

 ** _~ Day 52 ~_**

 ** _Solitude_**

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Draxon walked into the Grey Area, ready to get the day started with his next mission. He met up with Roxas as he approached from behind him.

"Draxon." Roxas calls

Draxon turned around and greeted his friend.

"Morning, Roxas." Draxon greets

"Hey, have you seen Xion at all?" Roxas asks

"Not since the other day when she left for her mission." Draxon says

"She never came to our hangout yesterday. Don't you think that's a bit strange?" Roxas says

"Yeah. That was kinda strange." Draxon says

"I hope she's alright." Roxas says

"Yeah, me too." Draxon says

The two boys were soon approached by Saïx who gave them their next mission of the day.

"Draxon, Roxas, you two are to leave immediately. A Tailbunker Heartless has surfaced in Twilight Town. Your mission is to eliminate it at once." Saïx says

Draxon and Roxas both nodded their heads in acknowledgement and they set off for Twilight Town. But even with their minds focused on the current mission, their thoughts still drifted towards their friend, Xion.

( _Twilight Town_ )

The two young Nobodies stepped out of the dark corridor and arrived in the Station Plaza within Twilight Town. They made their way downhill through Station Heights to the center of the town. Once they got there, they saw dozens of people running from the area, screaming in terror. Even Hayner, Pence, and Olette was there, staring up at something above them.

"What the heck is that?!" Olette screams

Everyone looked up to see a Tailbunker perched up on one of the archways. The draconian Heartless took to the sky and hovered over the town. Gazing down at the inhabitants down below, the Tailbunker let out a loud, screeching roar. While the three teens stood paralyzed with fear, Draxon and Roxas stepped forward, summoning their Keyblades into their hands.

"We'll take care of this. Go! Get far away from here!" Draxon says turning his head back toward the teens

Hayner, Pence, and Olette stared at the two boys for a moment, thinking they were either crazy or brave to face this monster by themselves. Nevertheless, they fled the area while Draxon and Roxas faced off against the Tailbunker.

The Tailbunker made it's first move, launching a large fireball from it's mouth, shooting it straight down at the two boys. Draxon and Roxas both leapt away from the fireball just as it crashes down into the ground, creating a big explosion on impact. Draxon hurled his Keyblade up at the Heartless with a right toss, landing a direct hit to it's chest. Roxas helped out with some Blizzard spells, launching ice blasts from the tip of his Keyblade.

After taking a couple of hits, the Tailbunker swoops down at the two boys. Draxon and Roxas jumped away as the Heartless came flying in. The Tailbunker flew back around and attacked again, descending toward the two boys with it's talons ready to strike. Draxon and Roxas immediately leapt back as the Tailbunker slams it's feet into the ground. Roxas charges at the Heartless and swings his Keyblade, aiming for it's head, but the dark creature catches the blade in it's mouth. The two wrestled with each other until Roxas got his Keyblade free. Draxon rushed in and slammed his Keyblade into the Tailbunker's head, striking it on it's left-side. The Heartess roared in anger and swung it's large tail at the two boys, who instinctively jump back, dodging the attack.

The Tailbunker began flapping it's wings as it started climbing up into the air.

"Oh no you don't!" Draxon says

Moving fast, Draxon jumps onto the Tailbunker's back before it could take off. The Heartless yelped and shook it's body violently to try and throw Draxon off, but he held on tight. It even flew up and over in a loop, but still Draxon held on. As they flew around, Draxon struck the Tailbunker's back with his Keyblade, hitting it five times. He then lands a final blow which sends both him and the Heartless falling to the ground. Upon impact, Draxon was thrown off the Tailbunker's back and was sent rolling across the ground. He quickly got back on his feet and joined Roxas' side. They both saw that the Heartless was left stunned from the crash and they immediately went on the offensive.

Draxon swung his Keyblade with a left and right slash, an upward slash, and a downward slash, striking the Heartless in the head. He then follows up with a reverse roundhouse slash and finishes with a somersault slash. Roxas moves in and strikes with four horizontal slashes. He follows up with an upward slash and finishes with a somersault slash.

The two boys took notice of the Heartless emblem on the Tailbunker's chest and they saw an opportunity to end the fight. Before either one of them could make a move, the Heartless shook it's head, recovering from the crash and focused it's attention on the two Keyblade Wielders. It lunged at Draxon with it's jaws, but he leaned his body to the right and countered with a left slash to it's head. He follows up with an upward slash, striking the Heartless underneath it's chin. Then, he pulls his Keyblade back and drives it straight into the Tailbunker's chest.

The Tailbunker roared in pain and it fell over on it's back with the Keyblade still embedded in it's chest. Soon enough, the Heartless disintegrates in a flash of light and it's heart was released, floating up to Kingdom Hearts.

Having completed their mission, Draxon and Roxas went up to their hangout at the top of the clock tower. Again, they did not see Xion. Nevertheless, the two boys sat along the ledge and gazed out at the sunset.

 _ **~ Day 53 ~**_

( _Agrabah_ )

Draxon and Roxas both walked out a corridor of darkness and arrived in the streets of Agrabah, starting their mission of the day.

"Okay. So our mission is to hunt down a group of Deserters that are causing trouble in this city." Draxon says

"Ugh, those things again?" Roxas groans

"I know. I'm not to thrilled about this mission either. Let's just get it done." Draxon says

The two boys moved through the city streets and headed over toward the palace. As they came up to the palace gates, they were immediately surrounded by 16 Deserters. Draxon and Roxas quickly summoned their Keyblades and stood back to back.

"An ambush. Should've figured. Well, bring it." Draxon says not surprised

Within moments, the Heartless attacked, charging at the two boys all at once.

Draxon sliced through one Deserter with an uppercut slash, then took out another one with a downward slash. A Deserter tried to attack him from the side, but he cut it down with a right slash. Two Deserters leapt at Draxon with their claws ready, but he strikes with a reverse roundhouse slash, taking out both Heartless.

Roxas strikes one Deserter with a left slash, then cut through another one with a right slash. A Deserter leapt at Roxas with a frontal attack, but he destroys the Heartless with a somersault slash. Two more Deserters rushed toward Roxas with their claws for a hit-and-run maneuver, but he quickly dispatches both Heartless with a downward slash and a right slash.

The six remaining Deserters leapt at the boys all at once, but the Keyblade Wielders stood their ground and quickly cut down each Heartless with a combined spinning strike.

"And that's that." Draxon sighs with relief

"I hope this is the last time we'll have to deal with these things." Roxas says

"Same here. Let's go." Draxon says

Having dealt with the Heartless, Draxon and Roxas both left Agrabah and headed for Twilight Town to relax at their hangout.

( _Twilight Town_ )

The two boys sat along the ledge of the clock tower, eating ice cream and staring out at the sunset. Still, they did not see Xion during their relaxation. This slowly started to make them worry for their new companion. Just what could Xion be doing? And was she alright?

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Draxon and Roxas are awake! After being in unconscious for weeks, Draxon and Roxas both wake up from their coma. They return to their daily missions, but now Xion is missing. First Axel, now Xion. What will happen next? Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


	6. A Friend's Return

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 _ **~ Day 71 ~**_

 _ **Reunion**_

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Draxon and Roxas walked into the Grey Area, ready to recieve their next mission. They were greeted by Xigbar on the way in.

"Heh heh, here come the sourpuss twins. Why the long face?" Xigbar says

"Nothing, okay?" Draxon says

"You gotta admit, the castle's a lot quieter. Half as loud, you might say. But I could get used to a smaller, more tightly knit group, how 'bout you?" Xigbar says

Demyx walks in, joining the conversation.

"Hey, Roxas, Draxon, did you hear? No survivors! Everybody at C.O. got K.O.'d! Talk about heavy!" Demyx says

"Then they're really gone." Roxas says

"Gone with the wind, right, Xiggy? Whew, I really dodged a bullet there." Demyx says

"Lucky you. Now you get to double your hours to help pick up the slack." Xigbar says

"Blegh! Remind me to underachieve twice as hard from now on." Demyx says

Saïx walked over to Draxon and Roxas, giving them their mission of the day.

"Roxas, Draxon, you are to depart for Twilight Town. There are Shadow Globs in that world which are spawning Pureblood Heartless. Your mission is to destroy every one. Report back when you are finished." Saïx says

The two boys nodded in acknowledgement and they set out for Twilight Town.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Roxas and Draxon walked out of a dark corridor, arriving in the Back Alley in Twilight Town.

"So, our mission is to destroy Shadow Globs. What do they look like exactly?" Roxas asks

"No idea. I guess we'll know when we see 'em." Draxon says

The two teens walk down the alley and head down to the Sandlot. And sure enough, they find some Shadow Globs, which were black-violet orbs of darkness, emitting an inner purple glow. So far, there were two Shadow Globs in the area. One was planted on the ground in the center of the Sandlot while another one was planted up on the side of a building that overlooked the area.

"Those things must be Shadow Globs." Roxas says

"I guess so. C'mon. Let's destroy them fast." Draxon says

The two boys moved to destroy the first Shadow Glob that was planted on the ground ahead of them. But before they could reach it, six Shadow Heartless emerged from the ground infront of them, blocking their path from the Shadow Glob.

"Roxas, you take care of the Shadow Globs. I'll deal with these Heartless." Draxon says

"Alright." Roxas says

Roxas went around to destroy the Shadow Glob while the Heartless focused their attention on Draxon, who summoned his Keyblade into his hand.

One of the Shadows leapt at Draxon with it's claws, ready to strike. Draxon leapt up at the Heartless, raising his Keyblade over his left-shoulder. As soon as they closed distance, Draxon brought his Keyblade down on the Heartless, slicing it in half with a diagonal slash. Upon touching the ground, Draxon propels himself forward at the next Shadow in his view, performing a sliding dash, and swings his Keyblade with an uppercut slash, taking it out right on the spot. A Shadow tried to attack from the left, but Draxon jumps away and counters with a quick right slash.

While Draxon kept the Heartless busy, Roxas attacked the Shadow Glob with his Keyblade. He struck the dark blob with several cross slashes, making it wobble like gelatin. Eventually, after a couple of hits, the Shadow Glob explodes in a puff of black smoke. After dealing with the first Shadow Glob, Roxas moves onto the next one. For this one, the teen leaps up to the level of the Shadow Glob, aims his Keyblade at the dark blob, and launches a fireball at it. Upon impact, the fireball explodes, blasting the Shadow Glob into oblivion.

With the Shadow Globs destroyed in the Sandlot, it was up to Draxon to finish dealing with the Heartless.

Draxon was left with only three Shadow Heartless. One of the Heartless attacks with a sliding kick, heading straight for Draxon while he stood where he was. Once the Shadow got close enough, Draxon turns his Keyblade over and strikes it with an uppercut, knocking it in mid-air. From there, he quickly turns his Keyblade back over and brings it down on the Heartless, slamming it into the ground and into oblivion. The second Heartless lashes out at Draxon with it's claws, but he strikes it down with a reverse roundhouse slash. He then finishes off the last remaining Heartless with a somersault slash.

After dealing with the Heartless and the Shadow Globs, Draxon and Roxas move into Tram Common. Almost immediately, they spot a Shadow Glob planted along the side of the archway up above them.

"There's another Shadow Glob." Roxas says

The two boys head up the ramp on their left and move to destroy the Shadow Glob. On their way up, a Watcher appears infront of them, blocking their path from the dark blob. Roxas quickly cuts down the Heartless while Draxon leaps up to the dark blob. He strikes it with four extremely fast cross slashes, making the dark blob wobble with each hit, then destroys it with an overhead strike, swinging his Keyblade downward.

Before moving on through the archway, the boys notice another Shadow Glob to their right, planted up on the side of one of the buildings. Draxon aims his Keyblade at the dark blob and casts a Fire spell, launching a fireball from the tip of his Keyblade. The fireball makes short work of the Shadow Glob, blasting it into oblivion.

Continuing underneath the archway, Draxon and Roxas see yet another Shadow Glob ahead of them, in the center of the downtown area.

"There's one up ahead. C'mon, let's take it out." Roxas says

Roxas was about to rush toward the Shadow Glob when Draxon stops him by grabbing his right-arm.

"Roxas, wait." Draxon says

Draxon looks off toward another Shadow Glob in the empty space to his left.

"There's another Shadow Glob in this empty space. Let's take that one out first." Draxon says

"Right." Roxas says

The two teens move into the empty space and approach the Shadow Glob. But before they could move to destroy it, a Guardian Heartless appears hovering above them. The Heartless shoots a long, blue laser beam at the two Keyblade Wielders, but they both roll over to the right, moving out of the way. Roxas went around to destroy the Shadow Glob while Draxon focused on the Guardian.

Draxon leapt up to the Guardian's level and assaulted the Heartless with a flurry of quick, powerful strikes. He strikes the Guardian with several spinning slashes, then slices it in half with a downward slash, ultimately destroying the Heartless. Roxas leaps up to the Shadow Glob and bashes it with his Keyblade. He strikes the dark blob with four left and right slashes, a somersault slash, and finally destroys it with a downward slash.

After dealing with the Shadow Glob and it's Guardian, the two boys head back out to deal with the last remaining Shadow Glob. This one was left for Draxon to destroy. Draxon charged toward the Shadow Glob with his Keyblade in hand. As he closed in on the dark blob, the crystal Keyblade began to glow with a blue aura. Draxon had his mind focused on the Shadow Glob to take notice. Within moments, Draxon takes his Keyblade with both hands, turns it over so the blade was pointing downward, and drives it into the dark orb. The light from the Keyblade shined deep within the Shadow Glob, overtaking it's ominous, black-violet glow with a pure, blue glow. Suddenly, crystal spikes began popping up from inside the Shadow Glob. Soon, the dark blob shined brighter and brighter until it exploded in a flash of blue light. Draxon was thrown back from the force of the explosion. He hits the ground on his back, then flips over backwards, laying flat on his stomach.

"Draxon!" Roxas exclaims

Roxas helps his friend up to his feet. The two boys looked infront of them and saw blue flames which was all that remained after Draxon dealt his attack.

"Whoa! Draxon, how did you do that?" Roxas asks

Draxon looks down at his right-hand as some blue flames, which enveloped his hand, died out. Whatever power he had just unleashed, it was incredible.

"I have no idea. But I'd say that's about it for the Shadow Globs." Draxon says

"Good. I'm ready to call it a day." Roxas says

"I hear that. Let's go." Draxon says

Having destroyed all the Shadow Globs, Draxon and Roxas head back to the Back Alley. Draxon stretches his right-hand out ahead of him, summoning a dark corridor back to the castle.

"I can't believe everyone at Castle Oblivion is gone." Roxas says looking down

"Yeah. I know how you feel about that, Roxas. I feel the same way. Wanna get some ice cream to make you feel better?" Draxon says

"I'm not sure anymore, Draxon. It just wouldn't be the same without Axel." Roxas says

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a voice calls out to the two boys.

"Hey, Roxas, Draxon!" A male voice calls

Draxon and Roxas froze where they stood. The voice they heard was almost too familiar. It had been so long since they last heard it. They turned around and saw a familiar face. There infront of them stood Axel.

"How's it hanging? It's been a while." Axel says

Draxon and Roxas both stood in utter disbelief, staring at Axel with shocked expressions as he approached them.

"What's the matter? You two look like you've seen a ghost." Axel says

"Axel? Is it really you?" Draxon asks

"The one and only." Axel says

"But we heard that everyone at Castle Oblivion was annihilated." Roxas says

"Not me. I'm tough." Axel says

"You had us worried." Roxas says

"Worried? We Nobodies don't have hearts to worry, you know." Axel says

"I'll go get us some ice cream!" Roxas says

With that, Roxas went off to buy some Sea-salt ice cream while Draxon stayed with Axel.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon, Roxas, and Axel sat up at the top of the clock tower, eating their ice cream while gazing out at the sunset.

"Axel, you would not believe the stuff that's happened while you were gone. There's so much to tell." Draxon says

"Really? I'd like to hear what you guys have been through. But first, I gotta check in with the boss, or he's gonna let me have it." Axel says

"You haven't reported back yet?" Draxon asks

"Hm? No." Axel says

"Well, why'd you come here?" Roxas asks

"I guess I just needed time to sort out my feelings, you know." Axel says

"Huh. And I thought you didn't have a heart." Draxon says

The three friends laughed a bit.

"Hey, your ice cream's melting. Eat up." Axel says

Draxon and Roxas took a bite of their ice cream before continuing their conversation.

"You know, we've been inviting Xion up here while you were gone." Roxas says

"Xion? Really?" Axel asks intrigued

"Yeah. We made her a promise that the four of us could have ice cream together when you got back." Draxon says

"The four of us. We're friends now." Roxas says

The trio gazed out at the sunset and enjoyed the view. Draxon and Roxas couldn't believe it. Their best friend came back for them. Axel was back.

 ** _~ Day 72 ~_**

 ** _Change_**

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Axel stood in his room, gazing out the window at the dark city until Saix paid him a visit.

"Why didn't you report in?" Saïx asks

"Oh, good to see you, too. What? Not even one word of appreciation?" Axel says

"I'm told Namine has gone missing." Saïx says

"There one minute, gone the next. Don't know how she got out." Axel says

"Did you search every room?" Saïx asks

"You're kidding, right? You know as well as I do that searching through every room there is impossible." Axel says

"And the chamber? Did you find it?" Saïx asks

"Come on, I would've told you that much. I gotta hand it to you... About Marluxia being one of the traitors. You knew exactly what was up from the start." Axel says

"I merely rounded up and sent off those who were getting in the way." Saïx says

"Whoa! Was I one of those you wanted to erase?" Axel asks

"Good to see you made it back safe." Saïx says

Saïx turned around and began to take his leave out of the room.

"I disposed of Zexion by the way. That's how you wanted it, right?" Axel says

Hearing that made Saïx stop and look at Axel for a second, but soon he left the room. Axel turned and looked back out the window.

"I moved things along just the way you wanted... at least for now." Axel says

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon and Roxas walked into the Grey Area and they met up with Axel.

"Hey, boys." Axel says

"Hey, what's up?" Draxon says

"Get this: they paired me up with you two as a 'slap on the wrist'." Axel says

"Why?" Roxas asks

"Well, they just know how much I loathe babysitting." Axel says

"Oh, thanks!" Roxas says

"Would it kill them to give me a day off? Look at these bags under my eyes. Pfft. Alright, c'mon, boys." Axel says

"Right behind ya." Roxas says

"Yeah. Let's do it." Draxon says

Axel stretches his right-hand out to his side, opening a dark corridor. The three Nobodies head inside and set off for their mission in Agrabah.

( _Agrabah_ )

Draxon, Roxas, and Axel step out of the dark corridor and arrive just outside the palace in Agrabah.

"Whaddya say we make this quick." Axel says

"Yeah." Roxas says

"Agreed." Draxon says

The trio headed into the streets to begin their mission. But as they walked into the streets, they saw Pete searching for something. They quickly hid alongside the pathway into the street to avoid being detected.

"Where is it? It's gotta be around here somewhere." Pete says

"Now who is that? And what's he up to?" Axel asks

"He wasn't here the last time me and Draxon came by, that's for sure." Roxas says

"Grrr... Well, I ain't givin' up till I find a way in! And once I find the lamp that's stashed down there. Heh heh heh... All my wishes'll come true." Pete says

"He thinks some lamp is gonna grant him some wishes?" Axel says

"Yeah, strange guy." Roxas says

"Change of plans, boys! Our new mission is following Lunkhead over there." Axel says

"What?" Draxon and Roxas say in unison

"But... we're on heart collection. Won't we get in trouble if we just-" Roxas says

"Looking into suspicious characters you come across is an important part of the job." Axel says

"Wouldn't you still call that disobeying orders?" Draxon asks

"No, I'd call it flexible thinking. Got it memorized? Plus, we still got plenty of time to collect hearts afterwards. No harm, no foul." Axel says

"I suppose so..." Draxon says

"Roxas?" Axel says

"I guess..." Roxas says

"Good, then we're all agreed." Axel says

With their sights set on Pete, the trio followed him quietly through the streets as he continued to search around. After a few minutes of searching, Pete did not find what he was searching for and moved on to the next street with Draxon, Roxas, and Axel hot on his trail. They shifted from cover to cover using the empty stalls and piles of crates as hiding spots as they kept their eyes on Pete. Eventually, Pete went into an alley on the right-side of the street, coming up to a dead end inside, and began feeling the stone wall with his big hands. The trio moved up to the alley and peered around the corner.

"What's he staring at the wall for?" Roxas asks

"No idea." Draxon says

"Well, boys, we wouldn't be investigating if we knew all the answers." Axel says

"Bingo! Heh heh heh! I finally found it!" Pete says

Pete pushed his hand against a certain stone block in the wall and it slid open to reveal a secret passageway that led out of the city. Pete headed into the passageway and disappeared out of sight. Draxon, Roxas, and Axel moved out from around the corner and approached the passageway.

"A secret passage in the middle of the city? Why? Where does it lead?" Roxas asks

"Looks like we're about to find out." Axel says

Continuing on with their investigation, the trio followed Pete through the passageway which led them out into the desert. After following Pete across the desert, they come upon the Cave of Wonders.

"Well, this is a nice little bonus." Axel says

Draxon looks up at the sky and notices that it was night time.

"Why is it night time here? We've only been following this guy for several minutes across the desert." Draxon asks

"The world works in mysterious ways. C'mon, let's see what's inside this cave." Axel says

With that, the trio head down into the cave. They travel down the staircase and come into the Entrance Hall. They found the cave to be quite big on the inside.

"Seems like this cave's bigger than it looks." Axel says

"Looks like we lost our friend." Draxon says

"So, what now?" Roxas asks shrugging his shoulders

"Guess we'll have to give up for now and go back to heart collection." Axel says

"You don't want to keep looking for him?" Draxon asks

"Nah. I would've liked to know what he was up to, but hey, just finding this cave is enough of a feather in our cap for today. Plus, searching this place would be a royal pain." Axel says

"What ever happened to this being an important part of the job?" Roxas asks

"Like I said, flexible thinking. Now, let's just get this mission over with." Axel says

Ending their investigation of Pete, Draxon, Roxas, and Axel went back to their mission of collecting hearts. They started off by searching the hall for Heartless. It wasn't long before some Scarlet Tangos appeared in the hall. Draxon and Roxas both summoned their Keyblades while Axel summoned his Chakrams, and the trio went to work on dealing with the Heartless.

One of the Scarlet Tangos spirals toward Draxon with a headbutt attack. Draxon grips his Keyblade with both hands and draws it over to his right-side as he braced himself. Once the Scarlet Tango got close enough, Draxon swings his Keyblade, taking out the Heartless right on the spot. Another Scarlet Tango shoots a fireball at Draxon, but he knocks the projectile away with his Keyblade, sending it flying off into the wall on the right. Draxon hurls his Keyblade at the Scarlet Tango with a vertical toss. The Keyblade lands a direct hit to the Heartless, stabbing into it's body and destroying it.

Roxas leapt up to the Heartless and went on the attack. He struck one down on his left with a downward slash, then struck the other one down with a right slash. As he lands back down on the ground, a Scarlet Tango shot a fireball at Roxas. He jumped back and countered the attack with a somersault slash, slicing the Heartless into oblivion.

Axel hurled one of his flaming Chakrams at one of the Scarlet Tangos, then threw his other Chakram at another Scarlet Tango. His attack did little damage to the Heartless. One of the Scarlet Tangos shot a fireball at Axel, but he defends himself using his Chakrams as shields. Axel looked at the two Heartless and smiled. He then ducked down for Draxon and Roxas to finish them off with their Keyblades.

After dealing with the Heartless in the Entrance Hall, the trio continue on through the cave, heading into the Pillar Room. Just as they enter the room, a large Heartless drops down on them from above. They quickly notice the Heartless and immediately jump out of the way before it could land on top of them. This Heartless was a Large Armor.

Draxon rushes forward at the Heartless and strikes it's stomach with his Keyblade. Unfortunately, his attack bounced off the Large Armor's belly, making him stumble backwards. The Large Armor raised it's hands up and tried to slam them down on Draxon while he was still slightly dazed. Draxon quickly leapt back just before the Heartless could bring it's large hands down on him.

"Well, that didn't work." Draxon says

"I don't think our attacks won't do much good against this Heartless." Axel says

"Then, how do we defeat it?" Roxas asks

Axel examined the Large Armor closely and noticed that it's head wasn't armored. This revealed it to be the Heartless' weak point. Axel hurls both his Chakrams at the Large Armor's head, landing a hit to the Heartless. The Large Armor fell down on all fours and was stunned. This gave the trio their chance to attack.

"Go for the head. That's it's weak spot." Axel says

Draxon went up to the Large Armor and slashed away with his Keyblade. He strikes the head with six horizontal slashes, swinging his Keyblade left and right. Then, Draxon delivers a downward slash and a rising uppercut slash. Eventually, the Large Armor got back up on it's feet and continued it's attack. The Heartless swung its arms from side to side in an attempt to hit Draxon. However, he leapt away from the Heartless, avoiding it's big hands. The Large Armor began rushing toward Draxon to try and ram into him with it's stomach. Just as the Heartless came within closing distance, Draxon quickly performs a sliding dash around the Heartless, evading the attack. As the Large Armor rushes past him, Draxon leaps up, and struck the back of it's head with a reverse roundhouse strike, making the Heartless fall over again.

Now, it was Roxas' turn to strike. He runs up to the Large Body with a sliding dash and swings his Keyblade with a left slash, delivering a strong blow to the Heartless' face. He follows up with an uppercut slash, a downward slash, and a spinning slash. The Heartless soon got back on it's feet and tried to smash it's large hands down on Roxas. The young teen saw the incoming attack and immediately jumped and rolled to the left. Roxas turned back to face the Large Body and hurled his Keyblade. The Keyblade flew straight toward the Heartless, spinning horizontally, landing a direct hit to it's head. The Large Body fell down on all fours and was left dazed by the attack, leaving it up to Draxon to finish off the Heartless.

Draxon jumps onto the Large Body and runs down it's back. He then jumps off, whirls around, and brings his Keyblade down on it's head, destroying the Heartless. The Large Body disintegrates in a flash of light and it's heart was released, floating up to Kingdom Hearts.

With the Heartless defeated, the trio de-summoned their weapons and relaxed.

"Well, that takes care of that. Ready to go?" Axel says

"Yup." Roxas says

"You know it." Draxon says

Having completed their mission, the trio headed into the dark corridor and left Agrabah.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Draxon, Roxas, and Axel went to their usual hangout spot in Twilight Town. They sat up at the top of the clock tower along the ledge with Sea-salt ice cream in their hands.

"You know, you're both more cheerful." Axel says

"You really think so?" Roxas asks

"That's funny. 'Cause we were thinking the same about you." Draxon says

"Yeah, well... I guess... He musta rubbed off on me." Axel says

"Huh?" Roxas asks feeling confused

"Wha?" Draxon asks also feeling confused

"Nah. It's thanks to you two that we get to sit here again and laugh while having ice cream." Axel says

While Roxas and Axel took bites out of their ice cream, Draxon looked over to his left, hoping to see Xion. Even though Axel was back, Xion was still missing.

 _"Wonder when Xion's gonna show."_ Draxon thought to himself

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Axel's back and so am I, ladies and gentlemen! Draxon and Roxas continue their missions in Twilight Town until they meet Axel. They go on their next mission with Axel in Agrabah. There, they meet the troublemaker, Pete. Now, with Axel back in the game, Draxon and Roxas just have to find Xion. What on earth is she doing? Guess we'll know in the next chapter. Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


	7. Solemn Promises

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 _ **~ Day 73 ~**_

 _ **The Promise**_

( _The World That Never Was_ )

It had been over ten days since Roxas and Draxon saw Xion and now they were worried. They had yet to fulfill their promise of having ice cream with Axel. The two boys entered the Grey Area and looked around for Xion. They saw Saïx, Luxord, and Xaldin, but not Xion.

"No Xion." Draxon says

"Where is she?" Roxas asks

Axel enters the Grey Area and greets Roxas and Draxon.

"Hey, boys." Axel greets

"Hey, Axel. You didn't happen to see Xion around, did you?" Draxon asks

"Xion? No. Haven't seen her at all." Axel says

"It's been days now... Ten days at least. We're both worried for her." Roxas says

"Wish I could help, but I took off for C.O. almost as soon as Xion joined up. There's a lot I missed." Axel says

"I feel bad." Roxas says

"Yeah. I know. We both promised her that we'd eat ice cream together." Draxon says

"You guys are friends, right? I'll tell ya what. I'll pick Saïx' brain, see what I can find out." Axel says

"Thanks, Axel." Roxas says

"Right. You guys get on with your missions. Try and take it easy." Axel says

Draxon and Roxas approached Saïx and he gave them their missions of the day.

"Today, you will be assigned on your own missions. Roxas, you are to be sent to a new world to eliminate a Sergeant Heartless. Draxon, you will also be sent to a new world to eliminate Pureblood Heartless that are hindering our progress. Report back once your missions are complete." Saïx says

Draxon and Roxas both nodded their heads in acknowledgement. They looked toward each other for a moment, then set off to their appointed tasks, going in two different dark corridors.

( _Beast's Castle_ )

Roxas steps out of the dark corridor and arrives at the Beast's Castle, standing out on the bridge. Roxas looked up and saw the tall castle infront of him.

"Well, this is the castle. Sure looks big." Roxas says

Suddenly, the young teen heard a loud roar.

"What was that?" Roxas asks slightly startled

Roxas remained silent to see if he would hear anything else, but heard nothing. The castle fell silent.

"Sounded like it came from inside..." Roxas says

The teen placed his left-hand on his chin and his right-hand on his waist, thinking about the roar he just heard.

"Could it have been the Heartless I'm after?" Roxas says

Roxas looked back at the castle.

"Only one way to find out. Time to head inside and take a look." Roxas says

Focusing back on his mission, Roxas headed straight for the castle. He entered the courtyard and approached the front entrance of the castle. Roxas pulled open the right-side door and stepped inside, making sure to shut the door behind him. He walked a few feet into the Entrance Hall and looked around. He found the castle to be very quiet.

"It's awfully quiet. Maybe nobody's home." Roxas says

Before he could proceed to explore the castle any further, the Sergeant Heartless appears before him.

"Guess I found my target." Roxas mutters to himself

The Heartless charged at Roxas with it's right-claw poised to strike. Roxas immediately summoned his Keyblade into his hand and rolled over ot the right, dodging the blow. He countered the attack with a fierce blow to the Sergeant's head, swinging his Keyblade into it's face with a left slash. The Sergeant swipes both it's claws at Roxas in an attempt to hit him. Roxas ducks down and counters the attack with an uppercut slash, landing a direct hit underneath the Sergeant's chin, sending it staggering backwards.

The Sergeant wasn't at all too much of a challenge for Roxas since it used mostly it's claws to attack. The young teen easily dodged it's claws and fought back with his Keyblade, delivering punishment to the Heartless.

Roxas rushes at the Heartless and attacks with some more Keyblade strikes. First, he swings his Keyblade into the Sergeant's stomach, causing the Heartless lurch forward. Next, he delivers a right slash to the Sergeant's face, striking it in the head, making the Heartless spin like a top. Then, Roxas thrusts his Keyblade at the Sergeant with a lunging strike, stabbing it in the chest, destroying it right on the spot.

With the Heartless defeated, Roxas de-summons his Keyblade and stands up straight.

"Alright. Mission's done. Time to RTC." Roxas says

Just before Roxas could open up a dark corridor, he heard the roar again.

"Huh!?" Roxas gasps startled

Roxas looked around as he heard the loud roar, trying to ascertain where it came from. The castle soon fell silent, leaving the young Keyblade Wielder baffled.

"It's that roar again." Roxas says

The teen put his hand to his chin.

"Could there be another Heartless around? Or was it something else?" Roxas asks

Roxas thought to himself about the roar, but he soon remembered Saïx' orders.

"Well, Saïx' orders were to report back to the castle once the mission was done. I guess I'd better call it a day." Roxas says

Roxas turned around and stretched his right-hand out, opening up a dark corridor back to The Castle That Never Was. Just as he started heading toward the dark portal, Roxas stopped and looked back into the hall, thinking he might hear the roar again. He soon turned back toward the dark corridor and continued walking toward it. As he entered the dark portal, his thoughts drifted towards his friend, Draxon, and his mission.

 _"I wonder how Draxon's doing with his mission."_ Roxas thought to himself

Having completed his mission, Roxas entered the dark corridor and returned back to the castle.

( _Berk_ )

Draxon walked out of the dark corridor and entered the new world known as Berk. He looked around and saw that he was in a forest of pine trees, standing in a secluded cove that had a clear, freshwater pond. Unknown to Draxon, this was where his counterpart, Devon, the Destined Keyblade Master, and his female Night Fury, Luna, met for the first time. It was also where they met Hiccup and Toothless. Draxon took in every detail about the cove. The rocks, the trees, even the small birds that were roosted in one of the trees that stood in the cove. It was day time in this world with the light of the sun beaming down into the cove in different directions.

"So, this is a new world." Draxon says

Draxon looked over at the pond that was on his left. He walked over to the water's edge and kneeled down to it. He gazed into the pond and saw some fish swimming around inside.

"Sure looks pretty." Draxon says

Suddenly, Draxon heard a loud roar coming from another part of the forest.

"What was that?" Draxon asks

Draxon looked up toward the ridge where the roar came from.

"Sounded like it came from up there." Draxon says

Curious to investigate, Draxon climbed up the ridge and headed into the forest. He soon came into a clearing and saw a female Monstrous Nightmare surrounded by a large group of Shadow Heartless.

This Monstrous Nightmare had light blue scales with grayish-black spots and streaks scattered around it's body. It's blue color fades into grey on it's wing edges. It's underbelly was tan and it's eyes were yellowish orange eyes like most other dragons. Like all other Monstrous Nightmares, this one had large shiny grayish-black horns on it's head that curved slightly outwards on the edge.

Draxon saw the Monstrous Nightmare and was amazed.

"A dragon?!" Draxon gasps in amazement

The large dragon roared at the dark creatures, threatening to harm them should they attack. The Heartless, of course, weren't intimitated and they began to close in on the dragon. One of the Shadows leapt forward at the Monstrous Nightmare, swiping it's claws at it's neck. The Monstrous Nightmare reared it's head back to dodge the attack and grabbed the Heartless with it's big jaws. The dragon swung it's head around with the Shadow in it's jaws and eventually sent the Heartless flying into a nearby tree, destroying it. Another Shadow sunk into the ground and moved around the dragon to attack it from behind. The Monstrous Nightmare saw this and quickly swatted the Heartless away with it's tail. A third Shadow tried to attack from the front, but the dragon shot a fire blast at the Heartless, blasting it into oblivion. More Shadows emerged from the ground, replacing the ones the Monstrous Nightmare had defeated.

"Seems like it could use my help." Draxon says

Without hesitation, Draxon rushed to the dragon's aid. One of the Shadows leapt toward the Monstrous Nightmare for an attack. The dragon braced itself as the dark creature came flying toward it with it's sharp claws. Before the Heartless could get it's claws on the Monstrous Nightmare, Draxon jumps in between them and cuts down the Heartless, slicing it in half across it's body. The dragon was surprised when it saw Draxon jump in to save it from the Heartless. Draxon lands crouched down infront of the Monstrous Nightmare with his left-hand down to catch himself. He rose up on his feet and got into battle stance, holding his Keyblade to his right-side with both hands as the Heartless directed their attention towards him, deeming him to be the greater threat.

Draxon made the first move, rushing toward one of the Shadows and striking it down with a left slash. He cuts down two more Shadows with two quick slashes, one with a reverse roundhouse slash, and the other with a downward slash. One of the Shadows tried to swipe it's claws at Draxon while his back was turned, but he caught sight of the incomiing attack. Reacting quickly, Draxon leapt away from the Shadow as it swiped at him and countered the attack with a right slash, destroying the Heartless.

More Shadows emerged from the ground and stalked their way towards Draxon. The Keyblade Wielder rose up on his feet and gripped his Keyblade as the Heartless approached him. Eventually, one of the Shadows leapt forward at Draxon with it's claws poised to strike. Draxon braced himself as the Heartless flew toward him. But before he could do anything, the Monstrous Nightmare quickly moves infront of Draxon and shoots a fire blast at the Heartless, blasting it into oblivion.

After dealing with the Heartless, the Monstrous Nightmare turned it's head and looked back at Draxon with a gentle expression. Draxon stared at the dragon, wondering why it was still here and why it had not fled to safety. It didn't take long for him to realize that this dragon wanted to fight alongside him. The young teen nodded his head in understanding and both he and the Monstrous Nightmare stood together as the rest of the Heartless stalked towards them.

Draxon throws his Keyblade at the Heartless with a right diagonal toss. The Keyblade glows with a bright blue light as it spins through the air, letting the wind guide it toward it's targets. Within moments, the Keyblade slices through one Shadow with a clean hit, splitting it vertically in half. The Keyblade flies through the air and back around, slicing through another Shadow, splitting this one horizontally in half. The Keyblade continues spinning through the air, taking out two more Shadows before returning back to Draxon, who catches it in his right-hand. Upon catching his Keyblade, Draxon whirls forward at a Shadow with his Keyblade enveloped with light, assailing the Heartless with a spinning strike, taking it out. Another Shadow tried to avenge it's fellow Heartless with a swipe of it's claws, but Draxon dodged the attack, leaping back into the air while swinging his Keyblade with a right slash, launching three light blasts which destroys it and two other Shadows.

The Monstrous Nightmare moves in and stomps it's feet down on a Shadow, crushing it to dust. Two Shadows tried to attack the dragon at the same time, but were both whacked by the dragon's large wings. Another Shadow sunk into the ground and moved around behind the Monstrous Nightmare, emerging up behind it's tail. The dragon caught sight of the Heartless as it emerged behind it. The dragon lifted it's tail up and quickly slammed it back down on the Shadow, destroying it. The Monstrous Nightmare turned it's head back just in time to see a Shadow leaping towards it with it's claws. The Heartless took a swipe, aiming for the dragon's neck, but it reared it's head back, dodging the blow. The dragon quickly snapped it's jaws at the Heartless, catching it in it's mouth. Using it's powerful jaws, the Monstrous Nightmare clamped it's sharp teeth down on the Shadow, destroying it.

One Shadow managed to jump onto the dragon's back, catching it by surprise. The Heartless took a swipe at the dragon's back with it's claws, causing the Monstrous Nightmare to roar in pain. Draxon saw the whole thing and moved quickly to help the dragon. He threw his Keyblade at the Shadow with a vertical toss, stabbing the Heartless in the head, knocking it off the dragon's back. The few remaining Shadows stalked toward the Monstrous Nightmare now that it was injured by the sudden attack. Draxon moved infront of the dragon, putting himself between it and the Heartless.

Two Shadows both attacked the young teen at once, leaping foward with their claws. Draxon cut down the first Shadow with a right slash, then struck down the other one with a downward slash. He looked ahead of him and saw three Heartless remaining. Before the Heartless could attack, Draxon leapt up into the air and swung his Keyblade with a right slash, sending blue bolts of electricity down at the Shadows. The Heartless were instantly vaporized by the attack and they disappeared in a puff of black mist.

The fight was finished and everything was calm again.

Once the Heartless were dealt with, Draxon stood up straight and de-summoned his Keyblade.

"Well, I guess that just about wraps up this mission." Draxon says

Draxon turned towards the Monstrous Nightmare and saw the claw mark the Heartless had left on it's back. The young teen cautiously approached the dragon, taking slow, steady steps. The Monstrous Nightmare looked over at Draxon as the Keyblade Wielder approached it. Draxon held his hands up, showing he was trying to help.

"It's alright. I'm not gonna hurt you. I just want to help." Draxon says

The Monstrous Nightmare understood Draxon perfectly and allowed him to come closer while moaning in pain. Draxon walked up to the dragon's left-side and examined the wound on it's back. The claw mark wasn't bad, but it was enough to cause some bleeding.

As Draxon stared at the wound, he suddenly had a vision. In this vision, he saw Devon in the Catacombs of Avalar, holding Spyro's paw in his left-hand while using his other hand to heal a bruise on the purple dragon's paw.

Draxon looked down at his right-hand after recovering from the vision. He did not know if he had the same healing powers as the boy he saw in this vision, but he was willing to give it a try. With determination flowing through him, Draxon held his right-hand over the wound, aiming his open palm at it. He closed his eyes and concentrated on closing up the wound. Soon, his hand began to emit a pure blue aura. The wound on the dragon's back began to glow with the same light and it started to close little by little. The Monstrous Nightmare watched in amazement as the wound slowly disappeared. Soon, the wound and the blood that flowed out of it was gone. Draxon lowered his hand and the light that glowed in his palm faded away. The young teen let out a sigh of slight exhaustion from using the spell.

"There. All better." Draxon sighs

The Monstrous Nightmare wagged it's tail happily and it gave Draxon a few licks to his face, feeling grateful for his aid and the miracle he just performed.

"Aw. You're welcome." Draxon says smiling

Draxon placed his right-hand on the dragon's snout and it purred with content.

"Alright. Since my mission is done, I'd better report back to Saïx." Draxon says

Having completed his mission, Draxon began walking away. As he walked through the forest, the young teen heard the footsteps of the dragon behind him. He stopped and turned around. Draxon noticed that the Monstrous Nightmare was following him.

"Huh? Why are you following me?" Draxon asks

The dragon just stared at Draxon with a curious look on it's face.

"I'm sorry, but you can't come with me. You need to stay here." Draxon says

Draxon walked a couple more steps, but soon stopped and looked back at the Monstrous Nightmare, which followed his every move.

"Wow. You are one stubborn dragon." Draxon says

The Monstrous Nightmare crooned and it nuzzled it's head against Draxon's body. The young teen rubbed his hands on the dragon's head.

"I guess you really like me, huh?" Draxon says

Draxon looked at the dragon and he thought of something. He had helped save this dragon from the Heartless. Maybe it can help him with his missions in this particular world.

"Hey, I just got an idea. There's these missions I do for the Organization. Maybe you can help me with them the next time I visit. How's that sound?" Draxon says

The Monstrous Nightmare gave Draxon a gentle lick on his face as it's answer.

"I'll take that as a yes." Draxon says

Draxon looked over the Monstrous Nightmare and found it hard to tell whether it was a male or female.

"Um... Are you a boy dragon, or a girl dragon?" Draxon asks

The dragon cocked it's head to the left slightly in hearing Draxon's question.

"Okay? Are you a boy?" Draxon asks

The dragon shook it's head saying no.

"So, you're a girl?" Draxon asks

The dragon nodded it's head saying yes.

"Well, I'm glad we cleared that up. I suppose that's why you like me. Now, here's another thing. If you're gonna be my dragon, you're gonna need a name." Draxon says

Draxon placed his hands on his waist and began thinking on what name to give the dragon. The Monstrous Nightmare was a female, so the young teen had to come up with a nice name that the dragon would like. It was a bit difficult for Draxon to think of a name for the dragon.

"Uh... Name... Name... Name for a dragon..." Draxon says snapping his fingers

Draxon paced back and forth infront of the dragon, silently mouthing different names he could think of for the Monstrous Nightmare while it stared at him, following his movement with it's head. After a few moments of thinking, Draxon eventually came up with a name.

"Kindle. How about Kindle? Sound good?" Draxon asks

The Monstrous Nightmare nodded it's head, taking a liking to the new name.

"Okay. Kindle it is." Draxon says

Kindle nuzzled it's head against Draxon's body while he rubbed his hands underneath it's chin. The dragon loved the feel of the young teen's hands under it's chin as it's tongue hung over from the left-side and it's tail wagged back and forth. Draxon noticed this as the dragon reacted to his touch.

"Oh, you like that, don't you? Well, I guess I found your sweet spot." Draxon says

"Okay. Well, I think I've spent enough time here. I'd better head back to the castle before any of the other members get suspicious. Roxas is probably done with his mission already, so I better not keep him waiting." Draxon says

Draxon turned around and stretched his right-hand out, opening a dark corridor. The young teen turned and waved the dragon good-bye.

"Be good, Kindle. I'll see you on my next mission." Draxon says

Draxon was about to head into the dark portal when he heard the Monstrous Nightmare croon in a sad tone behind him. He stopped and looked back at the dragon, seeing the sad expression on it's face.

"I'm sorry, Kindle. But like I said, I can't take you back with me." Draxon says

Draxon thought about what to do for the dragon. He felt kinda bad having to just leave the dragon like this in the middle of the forest. Now that he thought about it, he didn't know how he would go about finding Kindle again on his next mission. He soon remembered the cove where he first came into the world. He could leave Kindle there to wait for him until his next mission to Berk.

"I know of someplace you can stay. Follow me." Draxon says

Draxon went on ahead, moving through the forest with his newly bonded dragon, Kindle, following close behind. The young teen soon led the Monstrous Nightmare back to the cove, coming out of the treeline and onto the ridge which overlooked the area.

"Alright, Kindle. This place should be perfect for you to stay until my next mission." Draxon says

Draxon and Kindle both carefully climbed down the ridge into the cove.

"There's plenty of fish and water here for you, so you should be good." Draxon says

Kindle peered into the pond and saw all the fish swimming around in the water. She eyed one and slowly lowered her head down to the water. Then, the dragon got hold of a fish with it's jaws, flung it up in the air, and caught it in it's mouth, swallowing it whole. Kindle turned her head to the left and looked at the Keyblade Wielder, who was impressed at how she caught the fish.

"Wow. That was impressive to watch. Nice catch, Kindle." Draxon says clapping his hands

Draxon looked up at the sky and saw that it was already sundown. This reminded him to meet his friend, Roxas, back in Twilight Town.

"Well, it's been fun, Kindle, but I really need to get going. My friend, Roxas, is more than likely waiting for me in Twilight Town. I don't want to keep him waiting, let alone, worry him." Draxon says

Draxon turned and stretched left-hand out, opening up a dark corridor. Before he left, the young teen walked up to the Monstrous Nightmare and placed his hands on the dragon's head. The two looked at each other, eye to eye.

"I'm glad I was able to meet you, Kindle. I'm sure the two of us are gonna be the best of friends." Draxon says

Draxon shrugs his shoulders.

"Who knows? Maybe I'll be able to bring my friends, Roxas, Axel, and Xion with me for my next mission. Knowing them, they're probably gonna be jealous when they see I have a dragon for a friend. Maybe they'll find they're own dragons and that way, you won't be by yourself. You'd like that, right?" Draxon says

Kindle nodded her head, liking the idea of meeting Draxon's friends. Finding dragons for his three friends would make his dragon very happy. That way, she wouldn't be alone whenever she needed to wait for Draxon's next mission to Berk.

"Anyway, I'll be back, Kindle. I promise." Draxon says

With that, Draxon turned and disappeared into the dark corridor, leaving the female Monstrous Nightmare in the cove. Kindle laid down and rested her head in the soft grass and crooned sadly as Draxon left.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Roxas was up at the top of the clock tower, sitting by himself. Draxon soon came around the corner and joined him.

"Hey, Roxas." Draxon greets

"Hey, Draxon." Roxas greets

Draxon walked over and sat down alongside Roxas.

"Your mission went well?" Draxon asks

"Yep. And yours?" Roxas says

"It went smoothly." Draxon says while taking a bite of his ice cream

"Where's Axel?" Roxas asks

"You haven't seen him when you reported back?" Draxon asks looking at Roxas

"No." Roxas says

"Me neither. He's probably out on his mission still." Draxon says looking out at the sunset

The two boys sat silently, eating their ice cream. Draxon decided to break the silence by asking Roxas about the world he visited.

"So, what world did you get sent to?" Draxon asks looking at Roxas

"Just a castle in the middle of a forest. It was real big." Roxas says

"Really?" Draxon asks intrigued raising his right eyebrow

"Yeah. The castle was very tall. And while I was out doing my mission, I heard these loud roars all throughout the building." Roxas says

"Loud roars, huh? That sounds weird. Was it the Heartless you were chasing?" Draxon asks

"No. Not in the slightest. I think they belonged to something else." Roxas says

"Sounds like there's more to that castle than what it seems." Draxon says

"What about you, Draxon? What world did you get sent to?" Roxas asks looking at Draxon

"Me? I arrived in this forest of pine trees. I didn't have enough time to look around, but it was beautiful. And wait til you hear this. As I came into this world, I found a dragon surrounded by Heartless." Draxon says

"What? A dragon?!" Roxas asks surprised by what he heard

"Yeah. It looked almost like that Wyvern Heartless we fought the other day, but it was much more different." Draxon says

Draxon explained to Roxas about his mission to hunt down the Pureblood Heartless in Berk. Then, he explained how he met Kindle, the Monstrous Nightmare that bonded with him, and how he saved from the Heartless.

"Wow, Draxon. Your mission turned out to be more interesting than mine." Roxas says

The young teen looked out at the sunset and looked down.

"I wish I could've went with you." Roxas says

"Hey, maybe you will on our next mission. I promised Kindle that I'd bring you, Axel, and Xion to meet her. And that we'd find you some dragons to tame. I think having dragons as partners would be great for helping us on our missions." Draxon says

"That would be awesome!" Roxas says raising his head up and looking at Draxon

As excited as he was about having dragons as friendly pets, something crossed into Roxas' mind. This changed his excited expression into one of nervousness.

"But what if Xemnas or Saïx finds out? What you'd think they'd do to them?" Roxas asks nervously

Draxon had noted Roxas' concern for Kindle. He was also worried about what would happen if Xemnas found out that he had tamed a dragon.

"I don't know. I'd rather not think about it." Draxon says looking down at his ice cream

The two boys ate more of their ice cream until Roxas said something which drawed Draxon's attention.

"I hope Xion's okay..." Roxas says looking down

Draxon looked at Roxas and saw the concern in his eyes. He had almost forgotten about her. Draxon looked over to his left where Xion would sit next to him.

"Yeah. Me too." Draxon mutters

Draxon looked back out to the sunset.

 _"Hopefully Axel can find out something about Xion's last mission."_ Draxon thought to himself

* * *

 **Author's Note:** While Axel goes to learn what he can about Xion's last mission, Draxon and Roxas both continue their missions, traveling to new worlds, fighting the Heartless. And surprise! Draxon heads to Berk! While Roxas goes about his mission at the Beast's Castle, Draxon goes in hunt of some Heartless in Berk. Here, he meets a Monstrous Nightmare which instantly warms up to him, forming their bond together. My first thought was to have a Deadly Nadder be Draxon's choice for a dragon, but I figured a Monstrous Nightmare would be better. The reason why I chose a Monstrous Nightmare was because it was my first choice for a dragon in _School of Dragons_. The name for Draxon's dragon is Kindle. It's as a good of name I could come up for a female Monstrous Nightmare, and I think I'll be keeping it. Next up, we start our search for Xion. Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


	8. Search for Xion

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 ** _~ Day 74 ~_**

 ** _Quartet_**

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Draxon and Roxas walked into the Grey Area and were greeted by Axel.

"Rise and shine, sleepyheads." Axel says

"Sorry... Couldn't sleep." Roxas says

"Same here. I've been up late, thinking about Xion." Draxon says

"By the way, I talked to Saïx about Xion." Axel says

"And?" Roxas asks

"She was last sent on a mission in Twilight Town, but she never RTC'd." Axel says

"Why?" Roxas asks

"I dunno. But we'll find out soon enough. Our mission today is to track Xion down." Axel says

Draxon and Roxas were both surprised to hear this.

"Seriously?!" Draxon asks

"You mean it?!" Roxas asks

"No, I made it all up. Yes, I mean it! Now, let's get going and find her." Axel says

With that, the trio immediately set out for Twilight Town to search for their missing friend, Xion.

( _Twilight Town_ )

The trio stepped out of the dark corridor and arrived in the Back Alley in Twilight Town.

"What do you suppose Xion's mission was?" Roxas asks

"Well, the mission in question was to take out a giant Heartless." Axel says

"So, if we can find the Heartless, then we'll find Xion." Draxon says

"My thoughts exactly. Let's try digging up some info around town." Axel says

"But where should we start?" Roxas asks

"Let's try down this way." Draxon says pointing to the staircase that led to the Sandlot

Roxas, Draxon, and Axel head down the staircase and walk into the Sandlot. There, they heard Hayner and Olette talking to each other. The trio stood not far from the two teens and listened in to their conversation.

"You sure you heard that?" Hayner asks

"Yes, I'm sure! I told you!" Olette says

"And where'd you hear it again?" Hayner asks

"In the tunnels. I was exploring there, and I heard a weird, low moan." Olette says

"Did ya see what was making it?" Hayner asks

"Are you kidding?! I was scared out of my mind! I ran out of there as fast as I could." Olette says

After hearing the conversation, the trio turned and looked at each other, thinking about what they had heard.

"A low moan?" Roxas asks

"Could be our Heartless." Axel says

"Or it could be Xion." Roxas says

"If it's Xion, she could be hurt or worse." Draxon says

"I'm sure Xion is just fine. C'mon, let's go check it out." Axel says

The three Nobodies headed further into town, going through Station Heights and into the town market. Almost immediately, Draxon notices that the tunnel gate to the underground passages on their right was open.

"Hey, one of the gates into the tunnels is open. We should be able to get inside through there." Draxon says

The Nobody Trio headed down into the underground tunnels and looked around for any sign of Xion. They could hear the moaning sound echoing throughout the tunnels, but they had no idea where it was coming from. Eventually, they stopped in a large tunnel.

"No Xion..." Roxas says

"No Heartless either." Axel says

"Where could she be?" Draxon asks

"What are you guys doing down here?" A male voice asks

The trio turned around and saw Pence coming in from another pathway.

"What's wrong? You lost something?" Pence asks

"You could say that, yeah." Axel says

"We heard there was a strange moaning sound down in these tunnels. Do you know anything about it?" Draxon asks

"Strange moaning..." Pence says

Pence thought to himself, but he soon realized what Draxon was talking about.

"Oh! You mean that vent up there?" Pence asks

Pence points to a large vent up in the corner of the tunnel. Draxon, Roxas, and Axel turn and look up at the vent that Pence was pointing at.

"The wind coming through it creates a lot of echoes. It sounds kind of like a moan." Pence says

Upon hearing this, the trio sweatdropped.

"What? Ugh, for crying out loud..." Axel mutters

"So... you said you lost something?" Pence says

"Actually, it's someone." Roxas says

"A friend of ours. She's got black hair, blue eyes, and wears a black coat like ours. Did you happen to see her around?" Draxon says

"No. Can't say I've seen anyone like that around town. Sorry." Pence says

"Oh, okay." Draxon says

"So, what's your story? Why are you down here?" Axel asks

"Me? Heh, heh, that's a secret. Hey, I don't think we've been introduced." Pence says

Pence gestures to himself with his right-hand.

"I'm Pence. If you guys ever need anything, I'm always here to help."

"Um, thanks." Roxas says

"Sure. Hope you guys find your friend. I'll catch ya later." Pence says

With that, Pence heads out of the tunnels going back the way he came, leaving the trio to their investigation.

"Well, this sure was a bust." Axel says

"Yeah, all we really learned was that guy's name." Roxas says

"He sure seemed nice though." Draxon says

"So, what do we do now?" Roxas asks

"Obviously, Xion's not down here in these tunnels. Let's head back out into town and try to pick up on some leads." Axel says

The trio headed back through the tunnels and came back out into the town market. They went back into the Sandlot and saw Hayner and Olette still talking. Standing closeby, they listened to their conversation.

"Hey, Olette, you know what Pence is up to?" Hayner asks

"He said he was off on another one of his 'investigations' today." Olette says

"He's been acting pretty dodgy lately, all this sneaking around. I wonder what he's up to." Hayner says

"Beats me. He freaked out when I swung by the Usual Spot yesterday. Whatever he was looking at, he hid in a hurry." Olette says

"Hmm, now why would he do that?" Hayner asks

"Wonder where their _'Usual Spot'_ is." Draxons says

"Could be anywhere." Roxas says

"Guess we'll have to look around." Axel says

Leaving the Sandlot, the trio went up to the Back Alley. Upon arrival, Draxon noticed a metal gate to his left which was open, leading into a small area.

"This must be the Usual Spot." Draxon says

Draxon, Roxas, and Axel passed through the gate and entered the Usual Spot. Once they got inside, they looked around. Least to say, they found the place to be rather less interesting. There was an old, worn out sofa up against the wall on the right, a rusty, metal stepladder sitting in the back corner to the left next to a big red pipe, a green oil drum to the right of the entrance, and a bunch of empty wooden crates piled up in the back to the right of the small space. In addition, there was a dartboard hanging from the wall on the left, and some posters on both sides of the spot.

"This place is kinda small for a hangout." Roxas says

"Must be where Pence and those three kids hang out." Axel says

The trio searched the area for anything that would help them with their investigation. Draxon looked over at the oil drum that was near the entrance and noticed something sticking out from behind it. It looked like the corner of a piece of paper.

"Hey, check this out." Draxon says

Draxon pulled out the paper and laid it across the oil drum while Roxas and Axel came over to him. It appeared to be a map of the town. The map had red circles and 'X's in specific parts of the town. There was also some notes scribbled onto the side of the map.

"It looks like some kind of map." Axel says

"There's some notes scribbled on it." Roxas says

Draxon looks up at the title and reads it.

 _"The Seven Wonders."_ Draxon reads

 _"Spooky Steps? Friend from Beyond the Wall?"_ Axel reads

Axel points to one of the 'X's on the map which was near Tram Common.

"Hey, this one's about a moaning tunnel." Axel says

"That sure sounds familiar." Draxon says

"There's more. _'The Doppleganger.'_... _'The Animated Bag'_..." Axel reads

"A ghost train, a haunted mansion... There's seven altogether." Roxas says

"What's all this mean?" Axel asks

"I'm not sure." Draxon says

Suddenly, the trio looked and saw someone come through the red, ragged curtain. It was Pence, who was surprised to see the three Nobodies inside the Usual Spot.

"Oh! Hey, guys. What are you doing in here?" Pence asks

"We were kinda wondering if you could tell us about this, and why you had it hidden behind this barrel." Draxon asks holding up the map

"Ohh... So, you guys are like me, investigating the town's Seven Wonders." Pence says

The Nobody Trio looked at each other, then looked back at Pence.

"Uh, yeah, something like that." Axel says

"Well, I wasn't planning on talking to anyone about it until I'd finished up my investigation, but... All right. I'll tell you what I've got so far. I've been digging around, and I've learned that the town's Wonders are all connected to each other. In... the sense that they're all made-up. Nothing but stupid urban legends and rumors. To be honest, it's all completely bogus and embarrassing." Pence says

The trio sweatdropped.

"What?" Roxas asks

"Just another sleepy town, huh?" Axel says

"Sorry, guys. You're wasting your time. Oh, but there is a possibility about the Eighth Wonder!" Pence says

"There's an Eighth!?" Draxon asks surprised

"The one about the woods. They say if you go out into the forest towards the mansion, there's always a distinct feeling that something's watching you, even though the mansion is deserted. And if you hit this one tree, you'll hear some rustling. Weird, huh? I haven't seen it firsthand, so I can't really tell you much." Pence says

"Pretty strange." Roxas says

"Wouldn't be much of a Wonder if it wasn't! I'm planning to go and figure out the trick behind it later." Pence says

"Good luck with that." Axel says

"Thanks! Well, I should get back to my investigation. Try and keep this to yourselves, yeah?" Pence says

Pence left the Usual Spot, going about his day while the three Nobodies pondered about what they had learned. Draxon remembered about the woods that Pence mentioned. There was a hole in Tram Common that led out into the woods where the old mansion was.

"I think we've just got a lead on where Xion might be." Draxon says

"Really?" Axel asks intrigued

"Yeah. I remember back when me and Roxas were training for recon with Vexen. There was a hole in the wall on the side of town that leads out into the woods. I've got a feeling that's where our Heartless is hiding." Draxon says

"It's probably where Xion is too." Roxas says

"Well then, boys, whaddya say we go check it out, huh?" Axel says

"Right." Draxon says

The three boys walked all across Twilight Town to the Tram Common where they saw the hole in the wall. They head through the hole and into the forest.

"Okay, so our Heartless should be somewhere in this forest." Axel says

"But how do we find it?" Roxas asks

The trio looked around the area, searching for any sign of the Heartless. As they looked around, Draxon noticed some leaves falling from a certain tree. He walked over to the tree and looked up, but didn't see anything. Roxas and Axel noticed this as well, walking over to Draxon while he summoned his Keyblade.

"This must be our tree." Draxon says

"Well, give it a whack." Axel says

Draxon takes hold of his Keyblade with both hands and struck the tree with a single strike. Soon, the leaves began rustling above them.

"Whoa!" Draxon exclaims

"Heh, looks like we got a live one here." Axel says

Although they couldn't see it, the Heartless jumped down from tree to tree, heading for the mansion just up ahead.

"It's heading for the mansion." Roxas says

"Let's move! We can't let it get away!" Axel says

Without a moment's hesitation, the trio immediately gave chase, following the Heartless to the mansion. As they came up to the mansion, the Heartless revealed itself. It was a Veil Lizard.

"Is this the one?" Roxas asks

"It's gotta be. No wonder Xion had trouble. This Heartless was blending into the scenery." Axel says

"But, where's Xion?" Draxon asks

"Probably still out looking for it." Axel says

"So, what's the plan now?" Roxas asks

Axel summons his Chakrams and gets into battle stance.

"Well, a target's a target. Doesn't matter who takes it out. Let's just destroy it before it gets the chance to run off again." Axel says

Draxon and Roxas both summon their Keyblades and get into battle stance.

"Right." Draxon and Roxas say in unison

The Veil Lizard made the first move by lashing it's tongue out at the trio, who instinctively jump out of the way. Axel threw his flaming Chakrams at the Heartless, hitting it in the head. The Veil Lizard fought back by shooting a pair of yellow lasers from it's glowing eyes. Axel quickly leapt over to the left, dodging the laser blasts.

Draxon and Roxas both rush at the Heartless and attack with their Keyblades. Roxas delivers a reverse roundhouse slash to the Veil Lizard's head, striking it across the face. The Heartless retaliates with a swipe of it's claws, but Roxas jumps a few feet away. Draxon moves in and strikes the Heartless with a downward slash and a right slash aimed at it's head. The Veil Lizard turned to Draxon and takes a swipe at him. Draxon immediately leapt away, dodging the Veil Lizard's claws which came only inches from his stomach. The Keyblade Wielder slid back across the ground, coming to a stop next to Roxas.

The two boys were about to attack the Heartless again when they saw someone running in from the right toward the Heartless. It was Xion.

"Xion?" Roxas says

"Xion! Over here!" Draxon calls

Xion stops only a few feet away from the Heartless, turning towards the two boys who called out to her.

"Roxas!? Draxon!?" Xion says

The Veil Lizard turned it's gaze toward Xion and sent it's tongue at her, whacking Xion in the face, launching her several feet away. Xion cried out in pain as she was struck by the surprise attack. She rolls across the ground and comes to a stop, laying flat on her stomach.

"Xion!" Draxon and Roxas cry out in unison

"Boys, focus! We've got to take this thing out first!" Axel says

The Veil Lizard came at the three boys with a spin attack, swinging it's tail around. Draxon, Roxas, and Axel all leap out of the way of the Heartless, dodging the attack. They turn to face the dark creature, but it disappears from sight, using it's camoflauge to blend in with the environment. The trio looked around for the Heartless, never knowing when it might attack. They could hear the footsteps of the large Heartless as it moved around them, but found it difficult to track. It wasn't long before the Veil Lizard revealed itself, firing yellow lasers from it's glowing eyes at Axel. The red-haired Nobody was blasted away by the attack.

"Gah!" Axel yells out in pain

"Axel!" Roxas cries out

While Roxas was distracted, the Veil Lizard lashes it's tongue out at him, wrapping around his body. Roxas tried to free himself, but he couldn't move. The Heartless pulls Roxas closer, making him stumble forwards, then slashes him with it's claws, sending him flying backwards.

"Aaahhh!" Roxas yells out in pain

Roxas falls hard on his back and lies on the ground.

"Roxas!" Draxon cries out

Draxon looked back infront of him and saw the Veil Lizard charging toward him with it's head lowered. Reacting quickly, he leapt over to the left, dodging the Heartless just as it reached him. The Veil Lizard turned around and lashed it's tongue out at Draxon. The Keyblade Wielder leans his body to the left, dodging the tongue, then jumps over to the right, dodging the tongue again.

As he stared the Heartless down, Draxon's Keyblade began to glow with pure light. With the power of light surging through him, Draxon dashes straight toward the Veil Lizard and attacks. The Heartless shoots a pair of lasers from it's eyes, but Draxon leaps high into the air, way above the laser blasts. The Keyblade Wielder performs a somersault dive on the Veil Lizard, barreling down on it's head. He then strikes the Heartless in the back of it's head with his Keyblade. Draxon zips down infront of the Heartless and delivers an uppercut slash under it's chin. Finally, Draxon rushes at the Veil Lizard with his entire body shrouded in a corona of blue light and slams into it with a head-on strike.

The Veil Lizard stumbles backwards and collapses onto the ground, disappearing in a flash of light with it's heart floating up to Kingdom Hearts. The glow of Draxon's Keyblade dims down and returns to it's regular glow. With the Heartless defeated, Draxon checked up on Roxas and Axel, making sure they were alright. He checks on Roxas first.

"Roxas, you alright?" Draxon asks

Roxas sits up and looks at Draxon.

"Yeah. I'm okay." Roxas says

The young teen got up without any problems at all. Seeing that Roxas was okay, Draxon looks over at Axel who was up on one knee.

"Axel?" Draxon says

"Heh, I'm fine." Axel says smiling

The trio soon turned their attention to Xion who was still down on the ground. Draxon and Roxas rushed over to her.

"Xion, are you alright?" Draxon asks

"Nngh... Draxon?" Xion says opening her eyes

"Easy. Are you hurt?" Draxon asks extending his right-hand out to Xion

Xion took hold of Draxon's hand and was pulled up onto her feet.

"I'm fine. Thanks. It's just..." Xion says

"Hey, you can tell us what happened, but first, let's find a place to sit down and relax." Axel says

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon, Roxas, Xion, and Axel all sat at the top of the clock tower, taking a moment to relax after their ordeal with the Heartless. The trio still didn't know why Xion was in hiding, but they were about to find out.

"Here ya go." Axel says handing the three teens Sea-salt Ice cream

Draxon, Roxas, and Axel started eating their ice cream, but Xion just looked down and stared at her ice cream with a sad look on her face. The trio saw this and looked over at Xion, feeling concerned for her.

"Hey, Xion. Eat up. Your ice cream's gonna melt." Roxas says

"Yeah..." Xion sighs

"What's wrong? I'd thought you'd wolf it down." Axel says

"Xion? Did something happen?" Draxon asks

"We're here for you if you want to get it off your chest." Axel says

"Yeah. That's what friends are for." Roxas says nodding his head

"I can't... I can't use the Keyblade anymore. And without the Keyblade, I can't do my job." Xion says

"What exactly happened?" Draxon asks

"I don't know. But if I don't defeat Heartless with the Keyblade... the hearts they release will just find their way into other Heartless instead. I swat them in one place and they just pop up in another." Xion says

Xion looks at the three boys.

"My mission is to go out and collect hearts. If I'm unable to use the Keyblade, I'll... I'll be useless." Xion sighs

"Is there anything you can do, Axel?" Roxas asks

"I wish there was, but... it's like she said. Without the Keyblade, she can't collect hearts." Axel says

"And once the Organization finds out, they're gonna turn me into a Dusk." Xion says

"We can't do anything?" Roxas asks

"No! There's gotta be something can do. We can't let Xion get turned into a Dusk." Draxon says

"I already told you guys, there's nothing we ca-" Axel says

Axel soon stopped talking when he thought of something.

"Hold on..." Axel says

"You have an idea?" Draxon asks

Axel looked at Draxon and Roxas.

"You guys can work double duty." Axel says

"Huh?" Roxas says confused

"What do you mean?" Xion asks

"Xion, make sure your missions are either with Draxon or Roxas... until you can use the Keyblade again. That way, they can collect hearts and no one will know the difference." Axel says

"Axel, that's brilliant!" Draxon says

"But, that means you both have to collect twice as many hearts." Axel says

"We'll do it!" Draxon says

"Would you?" Xion asks

"Of course we would." Roxas says

"Friends need to lean in on each other every now and then." Axel says

"We're friends. Axel... does that mean you and I are friends, too?" Xion asks

Axel stared at Xion for a brief moment, then scratched the back of his head.

"Well, if you're friends with Roxas and Draxon, then yeah, of course you're my friend." Axel says

Xion smiled.

"Thank you, Axel." Xion says

"Just eat your ice cream." Axel says

The four friends continued to sit together and stare out at the sunset, eating the rest of their ice cream.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Xion is finally found! After searching around Twilight Town, Draxon, Roxas, and Axel manage to find Xion at the old mansion along with the Heartless she was tracking. And now we know why Xion was missing. Turns out she can't use the Keyblade anymore. But no worries, Draxon and Roxas got it covered. They'll just work double duty, collecting twice as many hearts to ensure Xion is safe. What are friends for, right? Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


	9. Inseparable Bonds

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 ** _~ Day 75 ~_**

 ** _Inseparable_**

( _Agrabah_ )

Roxas and Xion walked out of a dark corridor and arrived in the city streets of Agrabah.

"So, our orders are to investigate a cave?" Xion asks

"Right. Me, Draxon, and Axel found it the last time we were here. There's a hidden entrance in the city." Roxas says

"Wow. How'd you stumble across that?" Xion asks

"By accident, mostly. We spotted someone acting fishy, and Axel suggested we'd tail him." Roxas says

"And that led you to the cave... Seems like a good call on Axel's part." Xion says

"Still wish Draxon could be here with us on this mission." Roxas says looking down

"Yeah. I wish that too. But he's got his own mission to do." Xion says

Roxas sighs.

"So, you ready to explore this cave?" Xion asks

"Yeah. The hidden door's down this way. C'mon." Roxas says

Roxas went ahead into the streets with Xion following close behind. They came to the street where the hidden door was, and looked over to their right. Near the hidden door was Aladdin's small monkey, Abu, backed up against the wall, covering his head in fear as three Scarlet Tangos loomed over him.

"Heartless." Roxas says

"What do we do?" Xion asks

"Like we have any other choice." Roxas says

Roxas summoned his Keyblade and got into battle stance.

"Let's take 'em out!" Roxas says

"Right!" Xion says

Roxas drew his Keyblade back over his shoulder and hurls it at one of the Scarlet Tangos. The Keyblade cuts through the Heartless, slicing it in half. Xion aimed her right-hand at the other Scarlet Tango and launches an ice blast from her open palm. The ice blast hits the Heartless and freezes it on impact. Roxas moves in, and strikes the Heartless with a right slash, shattering it to pieces. He quickly switches over to the third Heartless and cuts it down with a left slash.

When everything quieted down, Abu moved his hands and saw that the Heartless were gone. The little monkey let out a sigh of relief. That was until it saw the two young teens towering over him. Abu panicked and quickly took off into the streets, disappearing into the desert city.

 _"That monkey... It was here last time too."_ Roxas thought to himself

Xion looked down at the ground and noticed that Abu had dropped something.

"Hey, Roxas, look..." Xion says

Roxas followed Xion's gaze down toward the ground. Laying at their feet was a round aquamarine gem.

"He must've dropped it." Xion says

"Where'd he swipe something like this?" Roxas asks

"What do you think? Should we leave it?" Xion asks

"Well, we may not get a chance to return it, but if we don't pick it up, someone else will." Roxas says

"Hmm, then I guess I'll hold onto it. It might come in handy." Xion says

Xion reaches down and picks up the gem. She puts in the right-pocket of her coat.

"Okay. Let's head for the cave." Roxas says

Continuing on with their mission, Roxas and Xion head through the hidden door and out of the city. They head across the desert and arrive at the Cave of Wonders.

"This is the cave?" Xion asks

"Not quite what you were expecting, huh?" Roxas asks

"Not really." Xion says

"Just wait until you see the inside. C'mon." Roxas says

The two teens descend into the cave, going down the long staircase. They soon come into the Entrance Hall.

"This cave's quite bigger than it looks." Xion says

"Yeah. Who knows how big this cave is." Roxas says

"I guess we'll find out. Time to do some exploring." Xion says

Roxas and Xion explore the cave, going through many rooms and passageways. Eventually, they come into a large chamber which had a dark, black abyss below them.

"Looks like a dead end." Xion says

The two teens walk over to the end of the platform and look over the edge, staring down into the abyss.

"Okay. Don't want to go down there." Roxas says

"That's looks to be quite a drop. Who knows how far it goes." Xion says

"I'd rather not find out." Roxas says backing up

Roxas looks ahead of him and notices another passageway that led deeper into the cave.

"There's another passageway up ahead." Roxas says

"But it's all the way across on the other side." Xion says

"There's got to be someway to we can get across." Roxas asks

Xion looks over to her right and notices a small stone plaque which had some intricate designs on it.

"Hey, what do you make of this?" Xion asks

The two teens approach the stone plaque and examine it. At the very top of the plaque was an empty slot.

"There's a hole here... Like something's meant to fit inside." Roxas says feeling the slot

"Hunh. It looks about the same size as the gem we found." Xion says

Xion reaches into her pocket and takes out the small gemstone. She steps up to the stone plaque and inserts the gem into the empty slot. The gem was a perfect fit.

"It clicked right into place!" Xion says

"Guess that explains where that monkey found it." Roxas says

"If it was here to begin with, it should probably stay here." Xion says

The chamber suddenly starts to rumble, causing Roxas and Xion to stumble a bit, but they were able to maintain their balance. Three platforms rise up from the abyss, creating a bridge to the other side of the room.

"Looks like we can get across now." Xion says

"Okay. Let's see where that way leads." Roxas says

The two teens move across the platforms and head into the passageway. They come into a hidden room which had a monkey idol holding a large ruby jewel in it's hands at the south wall. Roxas and Xion approach the idol and stare at it.

"What's this statue?" Roxas asks

"It's holding a jewel or something?" Xion says

Xion looked around and didn't see anymore pathways.

"I think this is as far as we go." Xion says

"Yeah. I don't see any more doors. We must be at the end of the cave." Roxas says

"So, what's the verdict?" Xion asks

"Well, we searched this cave top to bottom. I'd say that about sums it up. Let's call it a day." Roxas says

"Hopefully, we can meet up with Draxon." Xion says

"Hey, who are you bozos!?" A male voice asks

Roxas and Xion quickly turn around in reaction to hearing the voice. The voice belonged to Pete, who wasn't really pleased to see the two teens in the cave.

"Uh-oh. I know you..." Roxas mutters

"Hmph! Here for the magic lamp, are ya?" Pete says

"What magic lamp?" Roxas asks confused

"Don't try and play dumb with me! You listen up an' listen good! That lamp is official property of Pete! That's me, ya got it!? So, you keep your dirty mitts off!" Pete says

Pete conjures up a dark orb in his hands and sends it rolling toward the two teens like a bowling ball. Roxas and Xion quickly jump out of the way, leaping over to the sides. The dark orb rolls past them and explodes in a puff of smoke. He then runs up and tries to ram his body into Xion, but she jumps away, dodging the attack.

Roxas rushes over to Xion's aid and gives Pete a couple of smacks with his Keyblade. He hits Pete with a right slash, a downward slash, a left slash, an uppercut slash, a somersault slash, and another downward slash. Pete tries to fight back by throwing a few punches at Roxas. The young teen ducks down, dodging the first blow, then jumps back to dodge the second blow. While Roxas was dodging Pete's punches, Xion stretched her right-hand out, taking aim at Pete. She conjures up a large fireball in her open palm, then shoots it forward.

"Roxas! Watch out!" Xion warns

Roxas glances back for a brief moment and saw the large fireball heading his way. He then looks back at Pete as he drew his right-hand back for a punch.

"Heh heh heh. Gotcha now!" Pete says

Roxas simply gave Pete a confident grin.

"I don't think so." Roxas says

In that moment, Roxas quickly leapt over to the side, making way for the large fireball as it flew straight towards a shocked Pete. The fireball hits Pete with direct impact and explodes, sending Pete flying backwards. Pete bounces off his back and rolls across the ground until he slams against the wall where the monkey idol was.

"Nice one, Xion." Roxas says

"Thanks, Roxas." Xion says

Pete sat up and looked at the two teens with an angry expression.

"Rrrrrrgh... Ya puny little punks!" Pete says

Pete got up on his feet while Roxas and Xion braced themselves for whatever comes next.

"First, I can't find that dag-blasted lamp, and now I gotta deal with these weirdos? This just ain't fair!" Pete says feeling frustrated and stomping his feet around

A rock falls on Pete's head from the ceiling, causing him to yelp in pain. Pete rubs his head with his hand as to soothe the bump he recieved from the rock. Suddenly, the whole cave starts to shake, causing more rocks to fall.

"Zoinks! This can't be good! I'm outta here!" Pete says panicking

Pete runs past the two teens, heading straight for the exit.

"H-hey! Wait!" Roxas says

"Roxas! We can't stay here! We gotta go!" Xion says

"Right!" Roxas says

Roxas and Xion both run out of the hidden room, going back the way they came. They quickly ran through the cave, going through all the rooms they explored, dodging the falling rocks as they made their way out. Eventually, the two teens made it out of the Cave of Wonders and continued running out into the desert.

( _Moments later_ )

After escaping the cave, Roxas and Xion both stopped, and took a moment to try and catch their breath.

"Whew! We made it." Xion sighs with relief

"Just barely." Roxas says

"So, I take it that was the guy you were tailing?" Xion asks

"The one me, Draxon, and Axel saw? Yeah. Pete, I think he said?" Roxas says

"He kept going on about some magic lamp." Xion says

"Wonder what he meant by that." Roxas says

Xion crossed her arms while Roxas placed his left-hand on his chin. As the two teens stood there contemplating Pete's words, Xion jumped with a slight start as she saw something behind Roxas.

"Ah! Roxas, behind you!" Xion says startled

"Huh?" Roxas says

Roxas turned around to see what Xion was looking at. He was surprised by what he saw.

"Whoa!" Roxas exclaims

Roxas jumped back with a start. Standing infront of him was a magic carpet.

"What... what exactly am I looking at?" Roxas asks

"You alright?" Xion asks

"Yeah... It doesn't seem hostile." Roxas says

"I think it likes you." Xion says

"Figure that one out." Roxas says

"Yeah, figure that one out!" A male voice says

Roxas and Xion look over to their right and saw Genie hovering infront of them. The two teens both jumped with a slight start when they saw Genie.

"Yaaagh!" Roxas exclaims

"Wh-who are you!?" Xion asks startled

"Who am I? You want to know who I am!?" Genie asks surprised himself

"Y-yes?" Xion asks

"Well all right, then! One personal introduction, coming right up! The name's Genie-Formerly-Of-The-Magic-Lamp... but call me by my first name, kids!"

Roxas and Xion look over at the Magic Carpet as Genie introduces it.

"And this is my good friend, the Magic Carpet!" Genie introduces

Genie stretches his right-hand out to Roxas for a handshake.

"Nice to meetcha!" Genie says

"Uh, y-yeah... Likewise." Roxas says

Genie lowers his hand when Roxas didn't shake him in greeting, leaving him slightly confused.

"Hey, come on. You kids can do better than that. I mean, why so glum? Feeling a little blue? Believe me, I can relate." Genie says

"No doubt." Roxas says hinting Genie's blue skin

"So, uh, who are you kids?" Genie asks

"Errr, we're..." Roxas says

"Psst! Roxas, change the subject!" Xion whispers leaning closer to Roxas

"Change it to what?" Roxas whispers back

"Me, I was just swinging by Agrabah to check in... When, all of a sudden, Carpet here decides to put the tassel to the metal and take off! Says he spotted a friend." Genie says

"A friend? And that's me?" Roxas asks

"I know, crazy isn't it? I tag along all ready to reminisce about old times. But I have no idea in the cosmos who you are!" Genie says

Genie leans down closer to Carpet.

"You sure this is a friend of ours, Rugman?" Genie asks

The Magic Carpet just shrugs.

"Anyway, uhh... Agrabah is that city over there, right?" Roxas asks pointing at the desert city up ahead

"That's the one! My buddy Al's hometown. Why, when we first met, Al, and I were inseparable." Genie says

"Inseparable?" Roxas asks

"Yep! Until Carpet and I took off on a well deserved vacation. What you might call a mini world tour. But we got to worrying about how Al was doing... so we figured we'd pop back in to check up on him." Genie says

"Why were you worried? Is there something to worry about?" Roxas asks

"Well, sure! It's only natural to worry about your friends. I was worried about how things were going with Jasmine, how the city was holding up. And once I get something on my mind, I can't knock it out, tried everything: dynamite, sledgehammer, tweezers..." Genie says

"Well, I don't know anybody named Al, but... The city's in rough shape. They've been fixing it up." Xion says

"Right. They keep getting hit by sandstorms." Roxas says

"What!? Why do these things always happen the minute I leave town!?" Genie says shocked

Genie rolls up his arms, ready to use some magic.

"All right, stand back! A little magic and I'll have this place whipped back into shape!" Genie says

"Your friend, Al, said this isn't a job for magic." Roxas says

"He what!?" Genie says shocked

"He said the people living there should be the ones to fix it up." Roxas says

"Oh... Well, if that's Al's final word, I guess that's that." Genie says

"You're not going to help?" Roxas asks

"Al said no magic, right? I'd love to just fix the place, but even a genie's got to respect his friend's wishes." Genie says

Hmm... I guess so." Roxas says

"We should get going, Roxas." Xion says

"Yeah..." Roxas says

"Still, I doubt he'd mind a teensy-weensy speck of help!" Genie says

Genie turned to the sandstorm and used his magic. He waved his arm a bit, then shot his arm forward, shooting some magic from his pointed finger. The spray of magic hit the sandstorm, making it disappear in a flash of light.

"There we go. Now the city's safe! And with that out of the way... Enough stalling, who are you two?" Genie says

Genie turned back around, and noticed that Roxas and Xion were already gone.

"Okay, forget _'who'_. Where are you two!?" Genie says surprised

( _Berk_ )

In the forests of Berk, Kindle, Draxon's Monstrous Nightmare laid on the ground, feeling lonely. Suddenly, her head perked up in surprise as a corridor of darkness open up on the other side of the pond. Out of the dark portal came Draxon. The moment she saw Draxon step out of the dark portal, Kindle's expression immediately changed. The female dragon bursted with happiness upon seeing the young teen again. Draxon saw Kindle and he waved his hand in greeting.

"Hey, Kindle!" Draxon says

The Monstrous Nightmare rushed over to Draxon and gave him dozens of licks.

"Heh heh. Easy, girl. I told you I'd be back." Draxon says smiling

Draxon rubbed his hands on Kindle's snout, making her purr with content.

"Alright Kindle listen. My mission for today is Recon. I'm supposed to explore the rest of this forest to see if there's anything else here. A little boring, I know, but that's my assignment. So, let's get to it." Draxon says

Draxon started walking over to the base of the ridge, getting ready to climb when Kindle nudged his back with her snout. The young teen turned to the dragon, confused as to why she nudged him.

"Kindle? What is it?" Draxon asks

The Monstrous Nightmare let out a gentle growl and motioned her head to her back. Draxon stared at Kindle for a moment, utterly confused. The dragon kept gesturing her head to her back, beckoning the Keyblade Wielder to come over to her. Draxon walked over to Kindle's left-side and looked at the dragon.

"Is there something you're trying to tell me?" Draxon asks

As Draxon came over to her side, Kindle lowered her body down to the ground.

"You want me to climb onto your back?" Draxon asks

Kindle nodded her head saying yes. Draxon stared at the Monstrous Nightmare and finally realized what Kindle was getting at. She wanted him to ride her.

The young teen thought to himself about the idea of riding a dragon. Kindle was a dragon that belonged to this world, so she knew much of the environment. He could learn much about this world and it's inhabitants from the air, which would certaintly benefit his mission today. He already knew that having Kindle around would help him in dealing with Heartless on his missions. But then again, if there were people in this world, he would be easy to spot in the air. It wouldn't be great if he and his dragon spooked the locals. Still, Draxon felt having a dragon as his partner and friend was a good idea.

"Alright, Kindle. If you want to fly, I ain't gonna hold you down. Let's do it." Draxon says

Draxon climbed up onto Kindle's back and made himself comfortable, sitting up on the base of the dragon's neck.

"Okay. Now, just take it nice and easy. This is my first time riding a dragon." Draxon says

Kindle began spreading her wings out while Draxon braced himself. The Monstrous Nightmare soon took to the skies with a strong jump, making Draxon bounce on her back.

"Whoa!" Draxon exclaims

Draxon wrapped his arms around the dragon's neck, holding on for dear life. Kindle flew fast through the forest, weaving left and right to avoid the trees, keeping her rider safe.

"Kindle! Slow down! Please!" Draxon yells

Hearing the nervousness in her rider's voice, Kindle slowed her flight speed slightly. Draxon felt the Monstrous Nightmare's speed decrease and he started to relax. He straightened himself on the dragon's back and looked around. The two were gliding high above the forest, soaring just a few feet from the trees.

"Okay. Let's go higher." Draxon says

Kindle ascended higher into the sky, gaining altitude with each flap of her wings. Draxon felt a bit nervous as the ground got farther away, but he was able to shake it off. Once they were high enough, Draxon was able to get a layout of the environment.

This world was anything if not huge. Surrounding him in every direction was nothing but ocean. And down below him was the relatively small island of Berk. From the air, Draxon could see many geological landforms such as the rocky arches and cliffs that outlined the island. The beaches that were it's shores. The waterfalls and streams that ran with water all throughout the island. And the large expanse of forests that took up most of the island.

Draxon was awed by the view of the island. To see everything from this high up in the sky was breathtaking. It was just like sitting up on the clock tower in Twilight Town.

"Wow... This is quite a view." Draxon says in awe

The Keyblade Wielder looked down at the island and saw there was a village built along it's slope.

"There's a village down there. Might be worth getting a better look." Draxon says

Draxon pats Kindle's neck with his right-hand, getting her attention.

"Kindle, head down for that village. Let's go see what's down there." Draxon says

The Monstrous Nightmare let out a gentle growl and began making her descent down toward the village. The Keyblade Wielder and his dragon touched down just outside the village of Berk, landing at the edge of the forest. Once they were back on the ground, Draxon jumped down from Kindle's back and turned to the village.

"Kindle, follow me and stay close." Draxon says looking back at the dragon

Kindle nodded her head in acknowledgement, uttering a soft growl.

The young teen and his dragon walked into the village and looked around, taking in every detail. Large houses were built all throughout the village with a few torches here and there for lighting at night. Some farms were built in the nearby fields with some sheep and yaks grazing off the grass with not a care in the world.

Draxon glanced over to his left and saw the Great Hall burrowed into the steep mountain. The teen stared at the Great Hall in wonder. The Great Hall had a steep staircase with dozens of steps leading up to the huge arch doorway that had double doors which was decorated with intricate patterns. Flanking it's sides were two humongous statues. These two statues were of vikings riding dragons, holding a torch, which is lit at night. The entrance was also surrounded by huge torches on the floor.

"Okay. So there's big houses, some farmlands, cattle, and a huge hall. Looks to be a simple village." Draxon says

Draxon and Kindle came into the village plaza when they heard a loud roar fill the air, startling them both.

"Huh?!" Draxon says startled

While the Keyblade Wielder was startled by the roar, Kindle recognized it as the sound of another Monstrous Nightmare. The two of them soon saw a red Monstrous Nightmare flying low towards them. Immediately, the young teen and his dragon ducked down as the Monstrous Nightmare flew over their heads.

"Whoa!" Draxon exclaims covering his head

As the dragon flew back up into the sky, Draxon looked up to see a male viking riding it's back.

"Oh! Sorry, stranger!" The viking apologizes

The viking soon flew off with it's dragon, heading elsewhere in the village.

"What?" Draxon says dumbfounded

Draxon looked out to the rest of the village and saw vikings getting along with dragons. He saw one viking pulling a cart of vegetables with the help of his purple Deadly Nadder. Looking off in another direction, the young teen saw a green Hideous Zippleback flying over the village, carrying a net of fish with both heads with it's rider on it's back. A young girl ran past Draxon and Kindle, giggling with a happy expression as she played with a teal-colored Gronckle, which chased after her.

"Wow. These people are living with dragons. They sure do look happy." Draxon says

Draxon continued to watch the villagers as they went about their lives with their dragons by their side.

"I wonder if it's always been like this." Draxon says

Kindle went over to Draxon and gently nudged his right-side with her snout. The young teen looked at his dragon and gently rubbed her snout with his right-hand while she purred with content.

"Well, this certaintly was a big find. Time to head back and call it a day. Roxas, Xion, and Axel are probably waiting for me in Twilight Town." Draxon says

Just as Draxon and Kindle were about to head back out into the forest, the doors to the Great Hall opened up, catching their attention. Two vikings walked out of the Great Hall and stood at the top of the stone staircase. These two vikings were Stoick the Vast and Gobber the Belch.

"I don't like the sound of this, Gobber. Some of the villagers have been reporting sightings of Heartless all over Berk in the last couple of days. It's only been a few months since Devon left for his journey with Hiccup and the others and the Heartless have been increasing in numbers." Stoick says

"At least we have the dragons." Gobber says

"True. We do have the dragons on our side, but still I feel we should keep an eye out for any more attacks." Stoick says

Stoick looks down, feeling concern for his son.

"I just hope Hiccup will be alright being with Devon." Stoick says

"Don't sweat it, Stoick. I'm sure Hiccup is fine. Besides, he's got Toothless with him." Gobber says

Stoick looked back up and saw Draxon and Kindle standing in the plaza. As the chief gazed down at Draxon, he felt that there was something familiar about him.

"Hey, Gobber. That boy down there. Does he remind you of anyone? He sorta looks familiar." Stoick says

"Really? I ain't seen no one like that in the village. Must be a newcomer." Gobber says

"But we haven't seen any new boats come to the docks lately." Stoick says

"Maybe he flew here with that dragon that's next to him." Gobber says

Curious as to who the young teen was, Stoick started walking down the stairs with Gobber following him. Draxon and Kindle watched as the two large vikings descended down the stairs. The Keyblade Wielder had his eye on Stoick specifically as he came down from the Great Hall.

 _"He must be the one in charge."_ Draxon thought to himself

Stoick and Gobber reached the bottom of the staircase and they both approached the young teen and his Monstrous Nightmare.

"You there." Stoick says

"Uh... Me?" Draxon asks

"Yes. Who are you?" Stoick asks

"Uh... Draxon."

"Draxon?" Gobber asks

"Yeah. That's my name." Draxon says

Draxon places his right-hand on Kindle's head and pats her gently.

"And this is Kindle, my dragon." Draxon introduces

Kindle nods her head as her rider introduces her. Gobber inspects the female Monstrous Nightmare and notices that she didn't have a saddle on her.

"This is your dragon? How come she don't have a saddle?" Gobber asks

"A saddle?" Draxon asks confused

Draxon scratched the back of his head, trying to think of something to say.

"I... Uh..." Draxon stutters

"Ah, don't worry. I've got some extra saddles back at my Blacksmith Shop. Wait here with the chief. I'll get 'cha one." Gobber says

"Uh... thanks, Gobber." Draxon says

Gobber went off to his shop to get Draxon a saddle for Kindle while he and his dragon stayed with Stoick.

"You know, Draxon, you remind me of someone I know." Stoick says

"I do?" Draxon asks

"Yes. He was a boy who looked almost like you." Stoick says

"Someone like me? What was his name?" Draxon asks feeling curious

"His name was Devon." Stoick says

"Devon..." Draxon says

Draxon looked down and placed his hands on his waist, pondering to the name of his counterpart.

 _"Why does that name sound familiar?"_ Draxon asks himself in his thoughts

"Are you by chance related to him?" Stoick asks

Draxon looks back up at Stoick and shakes his head.

"No. I don't think so. How is it you know him?" Draxon asks

"He helped us Vikings make peace with the dragons, who we've been at war with for generations." Stoick says

"Wait. You mean that you've not always been peaceful with these dragons?" Draxon asks

"Yes. Before we've made peace with the dragons, they've been raiding our village, destroying our homes and stealing our food. That was until my son, Hiccup, met Devon. The two of them managed to train two Night Furies, one of the most rarest dragons in the entire archipelago." Stoick says

( _Flashback_ )

Stoick reflects back to when Hiccup tried to prove him and the rest of the village that there was a way to make peace with the dragons by taming them. Like the day he put Hiccup into the battle arena with Hookfang, the Monstrous Nightmare who was now Snotlout's dragon.

 _"I remember my son and Devon tried to show that we could tame the dragons. But I was reluctant to believe such an idea was possible."_ Stoick says

Flashes of the fight in the battle arena went through Stoick's mind as he remembered that day.

 _"Hiccup and Devon were almost killed that day. That was until I saw them."_ Stoick says

The vision of Luna and Toothless standing before Devon and Hiccup, protecting them from Hookfang played out in the chieftain's mind.

 _"Two Night Furies. The Unholy Offsprings of Lightning and Death itself."_ Stoick says

Flashes of Luna and Toothless' capture went through Stoick's mind as he continued his story.

 _"After the two Night Furies had dealt away with the Monstrous Nightmare, I was afraid they would attack my son and his friend next. So, I had the two dragons captured and put away in cages."_ Stoick says

Stoick recalled the painful moment of when he disowned his son, Hiccup.

 _"After the fight, I learned from my son that he had been to the nest where the dragons were thriving. That was when I made one of the worst mistakes of my life. I disowned my son. My mind was too focused on destroying the dragon's nest when I should've rather listened to Hiccup."_ Stoick says

Next, Stoick came to the battle with the Red Death and Lord Thanatos and the horror that followed suit.

 _"I took the two Night Furies and used them to lead us to the Dragon's Nest. There, we came upon the true evil behind the raids on our village. It was an dark demon who called himself Lord Thanatos. He had control over a massive dragon and used it to attack us."_ Stoick says

Then, Stoick recalls how Devon, Hiccup, and the other Viking Teens came and fought the Red Death and Lord Thanatos.

 _"My son and his friends fought against that evil demon and his vile beast. But not without a cost. My son lost his leg in that fight. But thanks to Hiccup and Devon, we were able to put aside the past and live in peace with the dragons."_ Stoick says

( _Present time_ )

"Wow. That's quite a story." Draxon says

"Yes. It is." Stoick says nodding his head

"So, uh, Stoick, what made you think I look a lot like Devon?" Draxon asks

Stoick strokes his beard a bit before answering Draxon's question.

"Well, you've got brown hair like him." Stoick says

Draxon runs his right-hand through his head, feeling his hair.

"Really?" Draxon says feeling curious

"And you've got the same blue eyes like he does." Stoick says

"Huh? Imagine that." Draxon says placing his hands on his waist

"Are you sure the two of you aren't related?" Stoick asks

Again, Draxon shakes his head.

"No. I've never met him. Though I would very much like to one day." Draxon says

"You should. He's a good friend of my son, Hiccup." Stoick says

"Seems like Devon is a very nice person." Draxon says

"He is. And not only that, he's a Keyblade Wielder." Stoick says

Upon hearing that, Draxon jumped in shock.

"What?!" Draxon gasps in shock

Devon was a Keyblade Wielder just like Draxon was. This news came to be quite a shock for the young Nobody. All this time he had been in Organization XIII, Draxon always felt that he, Roxas, and Xion were the only ones to wield a Keyblade. Stoick noticed Draxon's shocked expression and felt concerned for him.

"Draxon? You feeling alright?" Stoick asks concerned

"Uh... yeah. Yeah. I'm fine." Draxon says

Stoick, Draxon, and Kindle soon saw Gobber approaching them with a saddle in his right-arm.

"Here ya go, Draxon. A nice saddle for Kindle. Should make your riding her much more smoother." Gobber says

Gobber gave Draxon the saddle while he stared at it. The saddle was made of dark brown leather with two strap buckles, a pair of foot pedals, and a handle in the front.

"Thanks, Gobber." Draxon says

The young teen turns to the female Monstrous Nightmare and shows her the saddle.

"Hey, girl. What do you think of this? Wanna try it on?" Draxon says

Kindle sniffed the saddle a few times and gave off a gentle growl. She lowered her body down to help Draxon put the saddle on her. The saddle was placed on Kindle's back where Draxon originally sat. The straps wrapped around Kindle's chest with the first strap infront of her wings and the second strap behind it. Draxon made sure that the straps were not too tight on her to ensure that Kindle would not feel any discomfort while wearing the saddle. Once the saddle was strapped on, Draxon climbed onto Kindle's back and sat on the saddle. Draxon definitely felt more comfortable riding Kindle now that he had a saddle on her.

"Nice. This is a real improvement." Draxon says

"Glad ya like it, Draxon. Why don't you give it a test run?" Gobber says

"Good idea. Let's fly, Kindle!" Draxon says

Kindle let out an excited roar and she took off into the sky. Draxon held on firmly to the handle on the saddle as he and Kindle soared through the air. The two flew over the village, catching the attention of many vikings and dragons.

"Whooo!" Draxon yells in delight

The young teen and the Monstrous Nightmare flew up and back around, performing a loop, going into a dive towards the docks. They dove toward the docks at an incredible speed. Right at the last minute, they pulled up and were now flying over the ocean. The two flew out into the ocean until they passed the two giant Viking statues that guarded the island. From there, they looped back around and flew toward some stone arches. Draxon looked up in wonder as they flew underneath a stone arch, watching some seagulls fly above them.

Draxon and Kindle flew higher into the air, going up into the clouds. Kindle let out a roar of glee as they soared through the clouds. Soon, the Keyblade Wielder and his dragon were high above the clouds. Draxon looked on in amazement as they were soaring above a sea of clouds. He then glanced down to see the Isle of Berk down below.

Down in the village, Stoick, Gobber, and a bunch of other vikings who had gathered in the village plaza, scanned the skies for Draxon and Kindle, having watched them disappear into the clouds.

"Where's Draxon?" Stoick asks

Up in the sky, Draxon felt it was time to finish their flight.

"Alright, Kindle. Time for the big finish." Draxon says

Feeling pumped up, Draxon stood up on Kindle's back and jumped off, going into a free fall.

"Let's do it!" Draxon shouts in excitement

Kindle watched with a stunned expression as her rider jumped off, but she dove in after him.

The vikings continued to search the skies until Gobber saw them diving down from the clouds.

"There they are!" Gobber shouts pointing to the sky with his prong-hand

Draxon and Kindle were both in free fall, diving down toward the island. The young teen flipped over and looked up at his dragon as she came down to him. The two of them shared smiles with each other. As they started getting closer to the island, Draxon flipped back around, facing the island, and Kindle moved down underneath him. Draxon got back onto the saddle and continued their dive. Just like before, they pulled up at the last minute, flying up and over the plaza where the crowd of vikings and dragons were, causing all of them to duck down. The vikings and dragon all looked up and cheered as Draxon and Kindle flew back around and touch down in the plaza.

Draxon took a moment to contemplate what he had just done. He had become the very first Nobody in Organization XIII to ever ride and fly a dragon, which he felt was quite an achievement. The young teen looked down at his hands and saw that they were shaking from the adrenaline. He hadn't felt this much fun in his whole life. And it felt great.

"Wow, Draxon, you and Kindle must be close if the two of you fly that well." Gobber says

"I'll say. That was some impressive flying. Well done." Stoick says

"Whew! Thanks. I never knew flying would be such a thrill." Draxon says

Draxon really enjoyed the flight he had with Kindle. It was like he discovered a hidden talent within him. Like he was born for flying. After taking a moment to relax from the excitement, the Keyblade Wielder soon remembered about his friends, which meant he now had to leave.

"Hey, listen. As fun as it was meeting you, I've got someplace to be and some friends who are waiting for me, but I'll be sure to come back to Berk and visit." Draxon says

"Alright. Take care of yourselves. You're welcome back on Berk anytime." Stoick says

"You can count on it. I'll be sure to bring my friends sometime so you can meet them." Draxon says

"Looking forward to it." Stoick says

Draxon nodded his head to the chieftain. The Keyblade Wielder rubs his left-hand along Kindle's neck, drawing her attention.

"C'mon, Kindle. Let's go." Draxon says

Kindle let out a happy growl, then shot up into the sky. The vikings and dragons watched as Draxon and Kindle fly off into the forest until they disappeared out of sight.

( _Moments later_ )

Having completed his mission, Draxon and Kindle returned to the cove where he would leave Kindle and meet up with her on his next mission. Draxon climbed off the dragon's back, unstrapped the saddle, and sat it up alongside a boulder. Before he turned to open up a dark corridor, Draxon turned to face the Monstrous Nightmare.

"Well, today really turned out to be quite exciting. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did." Draxon says

Draxon rubbed his hands on Kindle's snout, making her purr and wag her tail. The young teen thought about Stoick and Gobber as their images appeared in his mind.

 _"I don't know how, but I feel like I've met those two Vikings before."_ Draxon thought to himself

Feeling that it was time to go, Draxon stretched his right-hand and a dark corridor opened up before him. Before he went in, the young teen turned and waved his dragon good-bye.

"Bye, Kindle. See ya later." Draxon says waving his hand

With that said, Draxon headed into the dark portal and disappeared, leaving Kindle in the cove.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Axel was sitting by himself at the top of the clock tower in Twilight Town when Roxas and Xion showed up.

"So, how'd the mission go?" Axel asks

"Yeah, I think it's gonna work... Thanks, Axel. You, Roxas, and Draxon are the best." Xion says

"Hey, we try." Axel says

Roxas and Xion walked over and took a seat along the ledge.

"So, where'd they send you?" Axel asks

"That place we went to before... Uhh, what was it again...?" Roxas says

"Agrabah." Xion says

"Oh, that city in the desert." Axel says

"We sure ran into some interesting characters this time, huh?" Xion says

"You mean Pete and Genie?" Roxas asks

"Well, Genie sounded really worried about his friend. Someone name Al. But, I guess you can't always jump in and do everything for your friends, even if you wanted to." Xion says

"That's right. People need their space." Axel says

"So then, why did Genie say that he and Al were _'inseparable'_?" Roxas asks

"Yeah, it's not like they were joined at the hip." Xion says

"Well, I think you can be inseparable even if you're apart." Axel says

"Really?" Roxas asks

"Sure, if you feel really close to each other. If you're best friends." Axel says

"What's it like having a best friend, Axel?" Roxas asks

"Couldn't tell ya. Don't have one." Axel says

"Oh..." Roxas says

As the trio sat at the clock tower, Draxon appeared and watched as they ate their ice cream. He managed to get himself an ice cream bar before he came up.

"Well, look who finally decided to show up." Axel says

"Hey, Draxon!" Xion greets

"Hey!" Draxon greets

Draxon walks over and took a seat next to Roxas and Xion.

"What world did you get sent to?" Roxas asks

"Remember that world I told you about, Roxas? Well, I did a bit more exploring and I came upon a village of Vikings." Draxon says

"Oh, that one? I remember! You told me you rescued a dragon from a bunch of Heartless." Roxas says

"Really? You did that?" Axel asks intrigued

"Yeah. And get this, the Vikings who live in the village. They live alongside dragons." Draxon says

"Wow! Really?" Roxas says surprised

"Yep. But it wasn't always like that. I learned from the chieftain that they used to be at war with each other." Draxon says

"That must've been terrible." Xion says

"How did they ever get along?" Roxas asks

"It's kind of a long story. But in short, the Vikings learned to tame the dragons and live together with them as part of their lives. You should've seen all the happy faces that were there. The chieftain said the name of the island was Berk. So, at least we now know what the world is called. But so far, it's a small island out in the middle of an ocean. I mean, you can look in every direction and see nothing but open water. Who knows what's out beyond those horizons." Draxon says

"Guess we'll never know until we go exploring." Axel says shrugging his shoulders

"You wanna know something even cooler? Remember the same dragon I saved. I rode on it's back high up in the sky." Draxon says

"Whoa! You flew on a dragon!?" Roxas gasps

"Yep. That was how I was able to see more of the island. I was a bit nervous at first. But when I saw how beautiful the world was, I got completely used to it. From the air, you could see everything. The island, the village, the ocean. Flying on the back of a dragon was the most fun thing I ever did." Draxon says

"Sounds like you had a lot of fun on your mission, Draxon." Xion says

"You guys gotta come with me the next time I go. Who knows, maybe we'll find some dragons for you guys to fly. That way, we can fly our dragons together." Draxon says

"I'd love to." Xion says

"Me too." Roxas says

"Sure. I guess I'm up for that." Axel says

Draxon smiled as his friends all agreed upon his idea. The four friends gazed out at the sunset and continued eating their ice cream. As he sat with his friends, Draxon still wondered about the name of the boy Stoick told him.

"Devon... Whoever he is, he sounds like someone you can really count on. To have a dragon as a friend. It must feel really good. Still, the name sounds familiar. But just who is he?" Draxon thought to himself

Draxon took more bites out of his ice cream as he thought about the mysterious boy named Devon.

 ** _~ Day 76 ~_**

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Draxon walked into the Grey Area and was greeted by Roxas and Xion.

"Hey, Draxon." Xion greets

"Hi." Draxon greets

"Looks like my next mission is with you. We're off to investigate the castle that Roxas explored." Xion says

"Good luck." Roxas says

"Thanks." Draxon says

A dark corridor opened up for Roxas and he headed off on his own mission.

"Right. Let's go." Draxon says

Another dark corridor opened up for the two Nobodies and they headed inside.

( _Beast's Castle_ )

Draxon and Xion both walked out of the dark corridor and arrived at the Beast's Castle inside the Entrance Hall.

"So, we're supposed to investigate this castle, right?" Draxon asks

"Right." Xion says

"All right. Then, let's get started." Draxon says

With that, the mission began. Draxon and Xion started walking through the Entrance Hall, heading for the staircase up ahead. As they began approaching the staircase, Draxon noticed a huge gash mark on the wall over on the left. The Keyblade Wielder went over to get a better look with Xion following him.

"Whoa! Take a look at this gash on the wall." Draxon says

"Are those claw marks?" Xion asks

"Looks like it. Though I'm not sure if it belongs to any Heartless around here." Draxon says

Moving on, Draxon and Xion continued up the staircase, heading for the West Wing.

"You know, Roxas told me the last time he came to this world, he said he heard some loud roars. He said it sounded like an animal. A big one." Draxon says

"Really? Did he say what it was?" Xion asks

"I don't know. But we just might find out today." Draxon says

"Then, we'd better be careful." Xion says

"The master is in quite an unfortunate mood today." A male voice says

"Roxas!" Xion whispers

"I heard it too." Draxon whispers back

"If only he would leave his chambers..." Lumiere says

"What did you see?" Xion asks

"A walking, talking candelabra." Draxon says

"What?" Xion says

Xion peers around the corner and she saw Lumiere.

"Whoa, you weren't kidding. But... how can it..." Xion says

"No idea." Draxon says shrugging his shoulders

Draxon places his hands on his waist.

"But it did say something about a master." Draxon says

"So you think it's one of the castle's servants?" Xion asks

"Must be." Draxon says

Draxon peers around the corner watching Lumiere head down the hall and out of sight. He then looks over at the stairs on the right.

"Maybe the master's chambers is up those stairs. I say we go find out." Draxon says

"Alright. You lead." Xion says

Draxon and Xion head up the staircase and move further into the West Wing. Once they reach the top of the staircase, Draxon looks down and sees some tracks.

"Footprints." Draxon says

"Big ones... You think they belong to a Heartless?" Xion asks

"I don't know. But they lead into that room back there." Draxon says

The two teens follow the tracks down the hall. Along the way, they notice more claw marks along the walls. These looked more severe than the last one.

"More claw marks." Draxon says

"The Heartless must really be out of control here." Xion says

"C'mon. Let's keep following these tracks." Draxon says

The two teens continue following the tracks until they reach a doorway that was slightly open. As they approach the door, they hear a loud roar inside.

"Graaaaaaugh!"

"Wh-what was that?" Xion asks startled

"Perhaps barging in is a bad idea." Draxon says

"Can you get a look at what's going on inside?" Xion asks

"I'll try." Draxon says

Draxon peers into the door and looks inside the room. He soon saw the Beast standing infront of the Enchanted Rose, looking quite frustrated.

 _"Whoa! What is that thing!?"_ Draxon thought to himself

"Graaaaaaugh! How dare she not join me for dinner! This is my castle! And it is my wish!" The Beast roars

 _"His castle? Are you serious!?"_ Draxon thought to himself

"Draxon? What did you see?" Xion asks

Draxon looks back at Xion.

"There was a... weird monster inside. Come take a look." Draxon says

Xion walks over to Draxon and she peeks into the room.

"Whoa... What is he?" Xion asks

"I don't know. But we'd better get away from the door. We don't want him to see us." Draxon says

Draxon and Xion both back away from the door.

"You know, I think this castle belongs to him." Draxon says

"You think!?" Xion asks

"He said this place was his castle. It doesn't get much clearer than that." Draxon says

"Then I guess he must be the beast. Beast's Castle?" Xion says

"Makes sense." Draxon says

"Do you think he's fighting the Heartless, like us?" Xion asks

"He must be. Those gashes on the walls of this castle must've happened in the process." Draxon says

"A beast with his own castle and a candelabra for a servant..." Xion says

"This place must have a story behind it." Draxon says

"Well, we know what the master looks like. This should be enough to report back to Saïx." Xion says

"Agreed. Let's head back." Draxon says

Having completed their mission, Draxon and Xion left the Beast's Castle and headed over to Twilight Town.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Draxon, Roxas, Xion, and Axel met up with each other in Twilight Town and sat up at the top of the clock tower with Sea-Salt ice cream in their hands.

"So, best friends are different from plain friends, right?" Xion asks

"They're about the same." Axel says

"Best friends, huh..." Roxas says

"But I'd say best friends a notch above from plain friends." Axel says

"How exactly are they different?" Draxon asks

"I don't know. I couldn't tell ya because I don't have any best friends." Axel says

"Right..." Draxon says

"I see..." Roxas says

The four friends sat quietly together and ate their ice cream while staring at the sunset. Draxon stared out at the sunset, then looked down at his ice cream. He thought about his dragon, Kindle, and the bond that they both shared. The way they both stood together when they first fought the Heartless. How happy they felt when they took on their first flight. It was a true example of what best friends were like.

 _"Well, if it's all the same, I guess Kindle is my best friend too."_ Draxon thought to himself

A small smile crept upon Draxon's face and he continued taking bites out of his ice cream as he enjoyed the rest of the afternoon with his three friends.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So, Draxon and Roxas take on their next missions with Xion joining them. Roxas goes on his mission to Agrabah with Xion and the two of them meet Abu the Monkey... and Pete. Draxon goes on his mission to Berk with his dragon, Kindle! The two of them explore the Isle of Berk and meet the Vikings and Dragons of Berk, including Stoick the Vast and Gobber the Belch. Then, they both take on their very first flight, soaring through the skies above Berk. Later on, Draxon goes on his next mission with Xion, exploring the rest of the Beast's Castle. So far everything's going well for our three Nobodies. But how long can they keep Xion's missing Keyblade power a secret? Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


	10. Hearts of Power

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 ** _~ Day 94 ~_**

 ** _Hearts_**

As the days went by, Draxon and Roxas went about their daily missions with Xion by their side, hunting down Heartless and collecting hearts for the Organization. Their plan with doing double duty on heart collection was going very well as none of the other members ever suspected Xion's secret. But now, after all their hard work of fighting the Heartless, today would prove to be a special day for Organization XIII.

( _The World That Never Was_ )

All the members of Organization XIII, including Xemnas stood at the Altar of Naught gazing up at the dark sky.

"The time has arrived." Xemnas says

Xemnas raises his arms up to the sky as he gestures to the yellow heart-shaped moon known as Kingdom Hearts.

"And at long last, we see before us the great collection of hearts. Hearts full of rage... hate... sadness... and bliss. Shining down upon us is the crystallization of all hearts: Kingdom Hearts. There, in the sky, hangs the promise of a new world." Xemnas says

Xemnas lowers his arms and turns to face his fellow members.

"My friends! Let us gain further power, to conquer the human heart, and claim it as our own." Xemnas says clentching his left-hand into a fist before gesturing to his chest

The Superior Leader looks upon each of the other members from left to right.

"Let us remember why we are here and what we hope to achieve. Hearts shall be gathered, and be made our own. Hearts shall never again have power over us." Xemnas says

Draxon, Roxas, Xion, and Axel all stared up at Kingdom Hearts. Draxon and Roxas had always been wondering what Kingdom Hearts would look like. And now, their answer was floating up in the sky as proof of their hard work. It was thanks to them that Kingdom Hearts was here. But even so, they still had to collect more hearts to complete it.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon, Roxas, and Xion walked into the Grey Area. They saw Axel and Xigbar sitting in the chairs on opposite sides of the room, enjoying their relaxation. The trio eventually walked over to Saïx and were given their missions of the day.

"Kingdom Hearts thirsts for hearts... A thirst only the power of the Keyblade can slake." Saïx says

Saïx looks over at Roxas and Xion, giving them their mission.

"Roxas, Xion, you will both be heading for the Beast's Castle to eliminate some Neoshadows that have surfaced in that world." Saïx says

Then, Saïx turns his head toward Draxon and gives him his mission.

"Draxon, you are to be sent to Berk on Heart Collection. You are also to eliminate a Heartless that has surfaced in that world. Get it done." Saïx says

"Yes, sir." Draxon says

Draxon stretches his right-hand out to his side and a corridor of darkness opens up for him. Before heading in, Draxon looks at Roxas and Xion.

"Good luck on your mission, guys." Draxon says

"You too, Draxon." Xion says

"Catch ya later." Roxas says

Draxon waves his hand to his two friends, then heads into the dark portal. Once Draxon was gone, Roxas turns and looks at Xion.

"Alright. Let's go." Roxas says

Another dark corridor opens up for Roxas and Xion and they head on through.

( _Beast's Castle_ )

Roxas and Xion step out of the dark portal and arrive in the Beast's Castle, coming into the West Wing.

"The Heartless we're after is called a Neoshadow, right? I hope we don't wind up searching all day." Roxas says

"Let's head on through this hall." Xion says

The two teens head out of the West Wing and come into the West Hall. There, they see Lumiere passing through down below them.

"Surely there must be some way to get Belle and the master to forgive each other..." Lumiere says

"It's that candelabra." Xion says

"Yeah, the one we saw before." Roxas says

"If they don't... I shall be a table decoration forever! No. I will speak to Mademoiselle Belle. Perhaps she can talk some sense into him." Lumiere says

Lumiere heads off down the hallway and out of sight.

"I don't get it. The candelabra doesn't want to be a candelabra?" Roxas says

"So this Belle person lives here in the castle." Xion says

"He said something about getting her and the master to forgive each other. I guess they must've been arguing." Roxas says

"She must be very brave to stand up to a beast like that." Xion says

"Assuming that she's human. So far nobody else seems to be. Well, we're not here to worry about her. Let's find this Heartless we're after." Roxas says

Continuing on, Roxas and Xion head into the Undercroft. From there, they enter the Secret Passageway. Inside, the two teens find their target. The Neoshadow emerges from the shadows and faces them.

"There it is. Let's take it out!" Roxas says

Roxas summons his Keyblade into his hand while Xion stands alongside him as they both prepared to fight the Heartless.

The Neoshadow made the first move by leaping forward at the two teens with it's right-claw ready to strike. Roxas and Xion both jump out of the way, splitting apart and leaping away to the sides as the Heartless swung it's claws.

Roxas moves in and begins his attack. He strikes the Neoshadow with a right slash, an upward slash, a left and right slash, another upward slash, and a downward slash. The Heartless tries to strike back with a swipe of it's claws, but Roxas leans his body over to the left and counters with a roundhouse slash. The blow made the Neoshadow stagger backwards.

Xion aims her right-hand at the Neoshadow and launches a fireball from her open palm. Before the fiery projectile could hit it's mark, the Neoshadow sinks into the floor through a dark portal, making the fireball miss. The dark portal began making it's way toward Xion while she braced herself. Roxas saw the dark portal closing in on Xion and called out to her.

"Xion, watch out!" Roxas warns

At that moment, the Neoshadow leaps out of the dark portal and attacks with a spinning kick. Xion instinctively leapt away from the Heartless, dodging the attack.

Roxas rushes in to Xion's aid and attacks the Neoshadow with his Keyblade. He closes distance with the Heartless with a lunging strike, knocking it away from Xion. He then follows up with an uppercut slash, a downward slash, and a left spinning slash. The Neoshadow tried kicking both it's legs at Roxas, but he ducks down and counters with a rising uppercut slash. He then finishes the Heartless and the fight with a strong overhead strike.

The Neoshadow was sliced vertically in half and disintegrates in a puff of black smoke shortly afterwards. With the fight now over, Roxas de-summons his Keyblade and stands up straight.

"Well, that takes care of that." Roxas says

"Ready to head back? We can stop for ice cream and-" Xion says

The conversation was interrupted when two more Neoshadows suddenly emerged behind Roxas and Xion.

"Huh!?" Roxas says

Before the teens could face the Heartless, a loud roar fills the air.

"Graaaaaaugh!"

The Beast comes flying into the Secret Passageway, heading straight for the two Heartless. Roxas and Xion quickly hide from the Beast as he engages the Heartless. The Beast lands and strikes down both Neoshadows with just a swipe of his claws.

"The Heartless do not belong here! Not in my castle!" The Beast says

Having dealt with the Heartless, the Beast heads out of the Secret Passageway while Roxas and Xion watch him go from around the corner.

"Whoa..." Xion says

"So he has been fighting the Heartless." Roxas says

"Apparently." Xion says

"Guess this castle plays by different rules than ours." Roxas says

"What do you mean?" Xion asks

"That beast is the master of this castle, right? And Xemnas is our master, right? If the Heartless showed up in our castle, we'd be the ones to get rid of them, not Xemnas." Roxas says

"Well, yeah. That's our job." Xion says

"Exactly. I figured it worked like that everywhere. I thought that's what being a master meant. After all, the Beast has servants here. He shouldn't have to fight." Roxas says

"I'm not sure if I'd call us Xemnas' servants, exactly... But you're right. If he's taking the Heartless on himself, he must have a good reason." Xion says

"Like what?" Roxas asks

"Maybe he's trying to protect something." Xion says

"Hmm..." Roxas says

"Let's call it a day, Roxas. Draxon and Axel are probably waiting." Xion says

"Yeah." Roxas says

Having completed their mission, Roxas and Xion both take their leave of the Beast's Castle.

( _Berk_ )

Draxon steps out of the dark corridor and arrives in the cove back on Berk.

"Kindle! I'm back!" Draxon calls

The female Monstrous Nightmare was laying down on the ground where Draxon sat her saddle. Once she saw her rider, the dragon quickly got up and rushed over to him.

"Hey, girl! It's been a while." Draxon says

Kindle gave the young teen a couple licks to his face, making him smile. Draxon rubbed his hands on Kindle's head, making her croon with content.

"You ready for today's mission?" Draxon asks

The dragon nods her head to the Keyblade Wielder, saying she was ready.

"Glad to hear it. My mission is to eliminate some Heartless that are lurking around somewhere. But before we get to that, let's head to the village and check to see how Stoick and Gobber are doing, huh?" Draxon says

Draxon went over to the boulder where he had left Kindle's saddle and strapped it onto her. Once he was set, Draxon climbed up onto Kindle's back, sitting comfortably in the saddle.

"Alright. Let's go." Draxon says

Kindle let out a loud roar and they both took off into the sky, flying straight for the village.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon and Kindle both arrive at the village of Berk, landing in the plaza. As they got there, they saw Stoick and Gobber talking to each other.

"What's wrong, Stoick? You seem a bit on edge." Gobber asks concerned

"The Heartless have surfaced again, Gobber. They've been seen lurking around the forest over to the west. The scouts report that they're getting closer to the village." Stoick says

"What do you think we should do, chief?" Gobber asks

"We have to fortify the island and set up some defenses." Stoick says

Stoick stops three passing vikings and issues them an order.

"Have the catapults loaded and ready. I want them positioned towards the forest." Stoick says pointing toward the forest

"Aye, chief!" The viking says

"On it!" Another viking says

With their assigned task, the vikings head out to get the catapults ready. The chieftain stops another group of five vikings and gives them an order as well.

"I want some men on patrol near the forest. Keep eyes out for any Heartless that might be trying to infiltrate the village." Stoick says

Each of the vikings nodded their heads and ran off to arm themselves with weapons and get their dragons.

"We'll need every viking and dragon armed and ready to defend themselves should the Heartless attack." Stoick says

"I'm sure we can handle 'em, Stoick. They seem easy enough to defeat. A swing of a sword or a blast of dragon fire, they vanish in a puff of smoke." Gobber says

"Still, we need to tread carefully." Stoick says

Draxon and Kindle approached the two vikings, catching their attention.

"Hey. What's going on?" Draxon asks

"Oh, hey Draxon." Stoick greets

"Ah, don't mind the chief, Draxon. He's just in a wary mood." Gobber says

"What's the matter?" Draxon asks concerned

"We've been running into some problems lately." Stoick says

"What kind of problems?" Draxon asks

"Heartless." Stoick says

"Heartless?" Draxon asks

"Yeah. The villagers and the dragons have reported attacks on the Heartless. They've been invading the village from time after time, but we've been able to ward them off. I've got the village on high alert, keeping an eye out for those wretched demons should they attack." Stoick says

"Listen, whatever Heartless you kill, another one will just replace it. You need to find their leader, and eliminate it. That way, their numbers will dwindle." Draxon says

"Huh. Sounds like you know the Heartless. You fought them before?" Gobber asks

"Yeah. I've had some close calls with them. It's how I met Kindle." Draxon says

Kindle uttered a gentle growl.

"Where have the Heartless been spotted?" Draxon asks

"In the forest. They've been lurking in the wilderness." Stoick says

"I can deal with the Heartless for you." Draxon says

"Really? You'd do that for us?" Gobber asks

"Of course. What are friends for? Kindle and I can take 'em. No problem." Draxon says

"Alright. We'll leave you to deal with the Heartless, Draxon. Be careful." Stoick says

"Thanks for the warning." Draxon says

Draxon climbed up onto Kindle's back and sat down on her saddle.

"Alright, Kindle. Let's hunt some Heartless." Draxon says

Kindle responded with a loud roar and they both took off into the sky, flying away from the village heading due west into the wilderness.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon and Kindle flew through the forest, zig-zagging past trees, searching for any Heartless that might be lurking around. They had been searching for several minutes now, and they had not seen any Heartless yet.

"Hmm. It's weird. We haven't seen any Heartless yet. I don't like the looks of this." Draxon says

The young teen looked around, then looked down at a clearing in the forest below them.

"Kindle, settle down there." Draxon says pointing down to the ground

The female Monstrous Nightmare slowed down and made her descent, landing in the clearing. The dragon sniffed the ground while her rider climbed down. Draxon looked around and placed his hands on his waist.

"I don't understand. According to Stoick, the Heartless should be in this part of the forest. Where are they?" Draxon says

Kindle continued sniffing the ground until she caught a whiff of something. To her, it seemed like an animal. The dragon recognized a lot of scents in the wild like boar and other dragons, but what she smelt did not belong to any natural creature. Whatever the dragon smelled was close by. Something vicious. Something dark. It was at this point that Kindle started growling. The teen heard Kindle's growls and turned to her.

"Kindle? What is it? You smell something?" Draxon asks

Suddenly, a Rabid Dog Heartless appeared infront of the Monstrous Nightmare and the Keyblade Wielder, uttering a few barks at them. Then, more Rabid Dogs appeared from the shadows, surrounding the duo. Draxon summoned his Keyblade: Soul Calibur into his hand as the Heartless surrounded them. Kindle kept growling at the Heartless, warning them to stay away.

One of the Rabid Dogs attacked first, leaping straight toward Draxon in an attempt to bite him. Draxon gripped his Keyblade with both hands and braced himself as the Heartless came at him. When the Heartless closed distance, Draxon swung his Keyblade with an uppercut slash, slicing the Heartless vertically in half. After dealing with the first Rabid Dog, the young teen leaps forward at another Rabid Dog and cuts it down with a downward slash. Another Rabid Dog tried to attack Draxon from the right side, but he quickly turned around and swung his Keyblade at the Heartless, cutting through it's body with a clean slice, splitting it horizontally in half.

Kindle unleashed a stream of flames down on two Rabid Dogs, sending them ablaze. Another Rabid Dog tried to attack the Monstrous Nightmare from behind, but she swats the Heartless away with her long tail. Kindle raises her right-foot and stomps down on another Rabid Dog, crushing it into oblivion. Five more Rabid Dogs stalked towards Kindle, growling and barking at her. The dragon roared back at the Heartless and began flapping her wings, creating strong winds that blew the Heartless away, sending them flying.

Draxon lunged his Keyblade at a Rabid Dog, destroying it right on the spot. Another Rabid Dog went to attack Draxon from the side, but the young teen whirled around and struck the Heartless with a right slash. Turning back toward the last remaining Heartless, Draxon raised his Keyblade over his shoulder and cut the Rabid Dog down.

After defeating the Heartless, both the Keyblade Wielder and his dragon relaxed.

"Well... that was easy. Almost too easy. Hmm." Draxon says

Draxon began thinking to himself about the Heartless they just defeated.

 _"This doesn't make sense. Stoick said that the forest was swarming with Heartless. Yet, Kindle and I were able to defeat these Heartless easy."_ Draxon thought to himself

Draxon started to wonder if this was some sort of diversion.

 _"If these were only a few Heartless, than the rest must be..."_ Draxon thought to himself

Once the young teen realized that the Heartless could be attacking the village, a shocked expression formed on his face.

"Oh no." Draxon gasps

The Keyblade Wielder quickly went over to Kindle and climbed up onto her back.

"C'mon, Kindle! We've got to get back to Berk! Now!" Draxon says

Kindle let out a roar and the two of them took off into the air, heading straight back to the village as fast as they could.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon and Kindle arrived back at the village only to find it already under siege. The whole village was swarming with Rabid Dog Heartless. Some of them were destroying wooden carts full of fish. Another group chased after sheep and chickens. While others attacked the Vikings and Dragons, who were actually holding their own against the Heartless.

A male Viking brought his axe down on a Rabid Dog, destroying it. A pack of three Rabid Dogs tried to attack the Viking, but a light purple Deadly Nadder moved infront of the Viking and flicked it's spiked tail, launching multiple spikes at the Heartless, landing shots in each of them in multiple places, causing them to disintigrate.

In another part of the village, a female Viking and her light green Gronckle were confronted by a pack of five Rabid Dogs. The dragon stood it's ground against the Heartless, growling and snarling at them while protecting the woman. Within moments, two of the Rabid Dogs attacked. The Gronckle headbutted the first Rabid Dog as it leapt forward with it's jaws, then struck the other one with it's club-like tail. The three remaining Heartless let out a couple barks and attacked the Viking and Dragon all at once, but the Gronckle made short work of the dark creatures by launching a lava blast from it's mouth, blasting the Heartless into oblivion.

While the Vikings and Dragons dealt with the Rabid Dogs, Stoick stood in the village plaza against the leader which was a Snapper Dog. Armed with a battle axe, the chieftain charged straight at the Heartless, raising his axe over his right-shoulder. He swung his axe at the Snapper Dog, but the Heartless jumped back, dodging the blow. Stoick swinged his axe at the Snapper Dog again, only to have his arm caught in the jaws of the Heartless. The chieftain tried to pull his arm free, but was unsuccessful as the Snapper Dog kept a firm grip on his arm. Stoick punched the Heartless' snout with his other arm, which made it angry. The Snapper Dog threw Stoick back, making him lose his axe in the process. The chieftain hit the ground and flipped over landing on his stomach.

Gobber, who had just cut down a Rabid Dog with his axe prosthetic, rushed over to Stoick and helped the chieftain up.

"Stoick!" Gobber says

"I'm fine, Gobber." Stoick says

The two Vikings faced the Snapper Dog which let out a few barks, summoning two more Rabid Dogs to it's side.

"That demon is the leader of these Heartless. We have to take it out." Stoick says

Stoick looks at the blacksmith.

"You with me?" Stoick asks

"Right behind ya, chief." Gobber says nodding his head

Stoick and Gobber looked back at the Heartless and braced themselves as the two Rabid Dogs charged at them. But before they could do anything, a fire blast shot through the air and destroyed both Heartless. The shot came from Kindle who flew in with Draxon on her back, wielding his Keyblade. Stoick and Gobber turned and looked up as the young teen and his dragon came down towards them.

"Hey! It's Draxon!" Gobber exclaims

The Snapper Dog tried to attack the two Vikings while they were distracted, charging toward them with it's jaws ready to bite. Draxon carefully stood up on Kindle's back and hurled his Keyblade down at the attacking Heartless. The Keyblade hits the Snapper Dog in the head with a direct hit, making it stop midway and stagger backwards. As they came close to the ground, Draxon jumped down, catches his Keyblade in his right-hand, and lands crouched down in the plaza while Kindle touches down alongside him. Watching the young teen, Stoick and Gobber noticed the weapon stretched out behind his back.

"That weapon..." Stoick says

Draxon rose up and stood straight, giving the two Vikings a better look at the weapon. They were left surprised by what they saw. It was a Keyblade. Devon's Keyblade: Soul Calibur to be exact. It was in that moment that they both realized that Draxon was a Keyblade Wielder.

"It's a Keyblade!" Stoick exclaims in surprise

Draxon rushes forward at the Snapper Dog and swings his Keyblade with an uppercut slash, striking the Heartless under it's chin. He follows up with a downward slash, landing a strong hit to the Snapper Dog's head, and a right slash to the side of it's face. The Snapper Dog lunges at Draxon with it's jaws in an attempt to bite him, but the young teen leaps away, dodging the attack, and counters with a somersault slash and a backflip slash, which leave bursts of light in the wake of his strikes.

The Snapper Dog let out an angry bark and went to attack Draxon with a frontal charge. Kindle quickly moved infront of her rider and headbutted the Heartless with a head on strike, knocking it backwards. The Monstrous Nightmare gave the Snapper Dog a loud roar, telling it to back off. Of course, this did not intimidate the Heartless as it barked back at the dragon. When the dark creature came again with another charge, Kindle clamped her jaws down on it's neck, stopping it right in it's tracks. Turning her head over to the right, the Monstrous Nightmare flipped the Snapper Dog over on it's side, dishing out a lot of damage.

With the Heartless left weakened, Draxon moved in to finish it off. Moving around past Kindle, he took hold of his Keyblade using both hands, pulls it back to his right-side, charges forward at the downed Heartless, and thrusts his Keyblade straight with a powerful lunging strike, driving the blade deep into it's body.

The Snapper Dog flinched and froze upon recieving the finishing blow and disintegrated soon after, releasing it's heart into the sky. The floating heart faded away in a flash of light as it was sent up to Kingdom Hearts. Sensing their leader's defeat, the Rabid Dogs halted their attack on the village and began to retreat back into the forest. The Vikings and Dragons all cheered and roared in victory watching the dark creatures flee.

With the fight now finished, Draxon stood up straight and de-summoned his Keyblade, making it disappear in a flash of light. Kindle came over to the young teen and nuzzled his left-side with her head. Draxon turned his head to the Monstrous Nightmare and placed his hand on the back of her head, giving the dragon a nice rub, making her purr with content. Stoick and Gobber approached Draxon, amazed from watching his fight with the Heartless.

"Draxon, I had no idea that you were a Keyblade Wielder. How is it that you can wield that weapon?" Stoick says

"Honestly. I really don't know. I was chosen to wield the Keyblade in order to fight the Heartless." Draxon says

"Well, you sure know how to deal with 'em Heartless I'll give ya that. You really did some impressive fightin'." Gobber says

"Aye. You certaintly have some skill in fighting with the Keyblade. If I were you, Draxon, I'd keep it close." Stoick says

"Thanks." Draxon says

Draxon turns and looks out to the forest that extended beyond the border of the village.

"The Heartless headed back into the forest, so I don't think they should be any trouble for a while after that the big Heartless was defeated." Draxon says

"We'll still shore up our defenses and keep an eye out for any more that try to attack Berk. But I know that if we ever need help, we can rely on you and your Keyblade to deal with those demons." Stoick says

"Right." Draxon says

With his mission finished, Draxon climbed onto Kindle's back, preparing to head for the cove.

"Well, I ought to be going now. I've got someplace to be and friends who no doubt are waiting for me." Draxon says

"Righto then. Take care, Draxon." Gobber says

"Be safe. Both of you." Stoick says

Draxon nodded his head to the two Vikings. After saying farewell, the young teen and his Monstrous Nightmare took off into the sky and headed out into the forest.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Axel was already at the clock tower having completed his mission of the day, sitting along the ledge eating Sea-Salt Ice Cream. He looked over to the left and saw Roxas and Xion arrive.

"Hey, you two. How'd work go? Think you can keep pulling off double duty?" Axel says

"So far so good." Roxas says

"Roxas took out today's Heartless in no time flat." Xion says

"Well, great. Keep it up." Axel says

The two teens went ahead and took a seat along the ledge next to Axel.

"Draxon's not here yet?" Xion asks

"Probaby late." Axel says

As if on cue, Draxon arrives and meets up with the three Nobodies.

"Well, speak of the devil." Axel says

"Sorry I'm late, guys. Had a bunch of Heartless to hunt down." Draxon says

"Eh, no sweat." Axel says

"We're just glad you made it." Roxas says

Draxon went and sat down next to Roxas and Xion. The quartet sat quietly eating their ice cream until Roxas spoke.

"All this fighting... I wonder what it's for." Roxas says

"Come on, you know what it's for. We have to complete Kingdom Hearts." Axel says

Axel looks over at Draxon.

"You saw it too, didn't you?" Axel asks

"Yeah. But what exactly is Kingdom Hearts?" Draxon asks

"It's the gathering place of hearts... isn't it?" Xion asks

"It's where all the hearts wind up after they're released by you. When we gather enough, we might finally have hearts of our own." Axel says

"Hearts shall be made our own..." Xion mutters

"Is Kingdom Hearts really that important?" Roxas asks

"Are you crazy!?" Axel asks

"I just don't see why having a heart is that important, you know." Roxas says

"Come on, you're wondering about that now?" Axel asks

"You know, I think Roxas has a point. I mean think about it. Don't you ever stop and wonder? We're fighting for something we don't know nothing about." Draxon says

"Well, I don't understand since I don't have a heart." Roxas says

"Right. None of us do." Draxon says

"We'll understand once we have our own hearts. That's why we fight to find what it's about." Axel says

"Okay..." Roxas says

Roxas looks at Axel.

"I guess you're right." Roxas says

The quartet sat quietly throughout the rest of the evening eating their ice cream and enjoying the view of the sunset.

 ** _~ Day 95 ~_**

 ** _Nobodies_**

( _Berk_ )

Draxon started his next mission back on Berk with Xion as his partner. The two teens walked out of a dark corridor and arrived in the cove.

"So, this is Berk?" Xion asks

"Yep. A small island out in the middle of the ocean. I know it may not look like much, but trust me Xion, this world is full of surprises." Draxon says

"You said this world is inhabited by Vikings and Dragons, right?" Xion asks

"Yeah. The village is just east of here. As I said before, the Vikings and Dragons live together in peace. Which reminds me, there's someone I'd like you to meet." Draxon says

Looking out to the rest of the cove, Draxon called out for his dragon.

"Kindle! I'm back!" Draxon calls

A loud roar fills the air which surprises Xion, causing her to jump with a slight start. Then, the female Monstrous Nightmare flies down from the top of the trees and lands in the cove, approaching her rider as he greets her. The young teen gave the dragon some nice gentle rubs on his snout, causing her to purr contently.

"Xion, this is Kindle. She's a Monstrous Nightmare. At least, that's what the Vikings call her." Draxon says

Draxon looks at Kindle and introduces her to Xion.

"Kindle, this is my good friend Xion. Be gentle with her." Draxon says

The Monstrous Nightmare approaches Xion and sniffed her a few times, taking in her scent. She soon gave the black haired girl a lick to her face which made Xion smile a little.

"I think she likes you." Draxon says

"She's really sweet for a dragon." Xion says

"Just wait until you see her in action. Kindle can pretty much hold her own against the Heartless. Which brings us back to our mission of the day." Draxon says

"Right. We're supposed to eliminate some Flutterings that are in this forest." Xion says

"Yep. So let's get to it." Draxon says

Draxon looks at Kindle, gaining her attention.

"Okay, girl. Are you up for today's mission?" Draxon asks

Kindle gave her rider a nod, saying that she was ready to take on some Heartless.

"Alright! Looks like Kindle is on board." Draxon says giving the Monstrous Nightmare a nice rub on the left side of her head

Draxon went over to the boulder where he left Kindle's saddle and picked it up before walking back to place it onto his dragon.

"So where do you think we should start, Draxon?" Xion asks

"Well, so far the Heartless have been lurking around in this forest. Based on that, we should explore the rest of the forest until we find our targets." Draxon says

Suddenly, the trio heard a loud roar somewhere in the forest which immediately caught their attention. Kindle raised her head up in reaction to the roar and looked off in the direction it came.

"What was that?" Xion asks

"I'm not sure." Draxon says

Kindle looked back at the young teens and gestured to her back with her head, telling them to get on.

"But Kindle seems to know what it is." Draxon says

Draxon went ahead and climbed onto Kindle's back. He then looked at Xion.

"Climb on!" Draxon says

Xion went and climbed up onto Kindle's back, taking a seat behind Draxon.

"You'd better hold onto me, Xion." Draxon says turning his head back at Xion

"Okay." Xion says wrapping her arms around Draxon's stomach

"Alright Kindle. Let's go." Draxon says patting Kindle's right side

Kindle let out a roar and took off into the forest with both her riders hanging on, following the sound of the roars. After a few minutes of flying through the forest, they come into a clearing and find the source of the roars. A Deadly Nadder was surrounded by a flock of Fluttering Heartless, trying to fend them off.

This Deadly Nadder was a female dragon with a sea blue colored body and a light beige underbelly. It's wings were purple on both sides with some dashes of blue on them. It's tail had purple spikes and fades into purple halfway from the base toward the tip. The dragon's head had small, yellow eyes, a crest of yellow horns, and a yellow nasal horn on it's snout. And it's feet had black talons.

The dragon roared at the Heartless, telling them to back off. One of the Flutterings launched a dark blue fireball from it's mouth at the Deadly Nadder. The dragon quickly jumped away from the fireball, and countered the attack with some Spine Shots, launching it's tail spikes at the Flutterwing. The Heartless was hit multiple times by the barbed spikes and was destroyed, only to be replaced with another Heartless. The Deadly Nadder started to back away from the Flutterings as they came closer.

Draxon, Xion, and Kindle hovered over the clearing and saw the fight going on between the Deadly Nadder and the Heartless.

"I guess we found our Heartless." Draxon says

Xion looked down at the Deadly Nadder and watched as it fought off the Flutterings.

"Is that another dragon?" Xion asks

"Yeah. It looks just like the ones I saw in the village of Berk. It's called a Deadly Nadder. At least, that's what I've heard from the Vikings." Draxon says

"Looks like it's having a rough time dealing with the Heartless." Xion says

"Then, why don't we give it a hand." Draxon says

Draxon stretches out his right-hand to the side and summons his Keyblade into his hand.

"Kindle, get us down there!" Draxon says

Kindle loyally obeyed her rider's command and the trio flew down to assist the Deadly Nadder.

Down on the ground, the Flutterings began flying in a circle above the Deadly Nadder, grouping up together in a large ring formation for an attack. A dark blue orb appeared in the middle of the ring and began charging up with dark energy. The Heartless started flying faster and the ring got smaller and smaller, giving the dark orb more power as they prepared to fire. Within moments, the Flutterings launched a large dark energy blast at the Deadly Nadder while the dragon braced itself. Before the dark projectile could hit it's mark, Draxon jumps off Kindle's back, lands infront of the Deadly Nadder, and hurls his Keyblade at the dark blast, causing it to explode. The explosion created a blinding light which caused the Deadly Nadder to turn it's head away and shut it's eyes. It also dazed the Flutterings a bit.

When the light from the explosion dimmed down, the Deadly Nadder looked and saw Draxon, Xion, and Kindle standing infront of it. Draxon stood up front with Kindle on his left and Xion on the right. Now, the Flutterings had some new targets.  
They immediately set their sights on Draxon, deeming him to be the greater threat.

One of the Flutterings shot a dark fireball at Draxon, but he sends it back with a swing of his Keyblade. The dark fireball hits the Heartless and destroys it upon impact. Three other Flutterings flew straight at the young teen in a rush attack. Draxon strikes down the first Heartless with a right slash, takes out the second one with a left slash, and slices through the third one with a downward slash.

Kindle grabs a Fluttering in her jaws, shakes it around for a bit, then throws the Heartless down on the ground and stomps her right-foot down on it. Two Flutterings flew straight at the Monstrous Nightmare for an attack, but the dragon released a stream of flames from her mouth, vaporizing the Heartless before they could reach her. Another Fluttering tried to attack Kindle from the side, but the dragon caught sight of the incoming Heartless. Turning her head to the left, Kindle launched a fire blast from her mouth at the Heartless, blasting it into oblivion.

Xion aimed her right-hand at a Fluttering and launched a fireball from her open palm. The fireball lands a direct hit to the Heartless, detonating in a medium-sized explosion upon impact which destroys the dark creature. Another Fluttering flew at Xion for an attack, but she quickly aimed her hand at the Heartless and launched another fireball, taking it out as well.

The Deadly Nadder watched as the trio fought valiantly against the Heartless. But when it looked toward Xion, the dragon noticed three Flutterings heading straight for her from behind. After cutting down a Fluttering, Draxon looked toward Xion and saw the three Heartless flying toward her.

"Xion! Behind you!" Draxon warns

Xion looked at Draxon, then turned around to see the attacking Heartless. The young teen braced herself as one of the Flutterings shot a dark fireball at her. Before she could do anything, the Deadly Nadder rushes over to Xion and shields her from the dark projectile, using it's wings and it's massive body to protect her. The dark fireball hits the dragon with direct impact, but it was able to shake it off. The Deadly Nadder roared at the Heartless, once again telling them to back off. Xion looked up at the dragon and was surprised to see that it was protecting her. The dragon flicked it's tail and launched it's bristling spikes at the Flutterings, landing precise hits on each of them. The Heartless disintigrate after being struck by the tail spikes.

Draxon finishes off the last of the Flutterings by jumping up and cutting down both Heartless with a single strike each. He takes out the Fluttering on his left with a quick downward slash, then destroys the other one with a right slash.

After the Heartless were dealt with, Draxon looks over toward Xion as the Deadly Nadder stood over her.

"Xion, are you alright?" Draxon asks concerned

"Yeah. I'm okay." Xion says

Xion walked out from underneath the Deadly Nadder and looked up at it.

"You... protected me." Xion says

The Deadly Nadder nuzzles it's head against Xion's body, showing it's affection and gratitude. Xion places her hands on the dragon's head and rubs gently on it's snout. The Deadly Nadder let out a croon of content. The young teen couldn't help but smile at the moment she was having.

"I guess it likes you, Xion." Draxon says

"Yeah. I think so too." Xion says

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you got yourself your own dragon." Draxon says

"Really? A dragon of my own?" Xion asks

"Yeah. And I think this one is a girl." Draxon says

"How can you tell?" Xion asks

"I... don't know. Something just tells me this dragon is a girl." Draxon says shrugging his shoulders

"You know, I kinda thought she was a girl, too." Xion says

"So? What're you gonna call her?" Draxon says

Xion looked at the Deadly Nadder while it turned and cocked it's head to look at her. The young teen began thinking on what to call her dragon. She wanted to give her dragon a good name, but it was a bit difficult for her to come up with a name. It took her a few minutes, but she soon came up with a name.

"How about Lapis?" Xion asks

"That sounds like a good name. Yeah. I like it." Draxon says

Lapis let out a happy squawk, taking a liking to it's new name.

"Okay. Lapis it is." Xion says

Xion rubs Lapis' head with her left-hand while she uses her other hand to give the dragon some scratches under her chin. The Deadly Nadder let out a croon, obviously taking a liking to the scratches.

"Heh, looks like Lapis likes getting scratched under her chin." Draxon laughs

"I guess we've found her soft spot." Xion says

Draxon looks up at Kindle and decided to scratch underneath her chin as well. Kindle purred with content as she was recieving the nice scratches.

"Well, Lapis isn't the only one who likes getting scratched." Draxon says

Once he was done scratching his dragon, Draxon looks back at Xion and her newly bonded dragon.

"So, you ready to head back?" Draxon asks

"Yeah." Xion says

"Okay. Hop on your dragon and let's go." Draxon says

Draxon went ahead and climbed onto his dragon. Lapis lowered her body down to assist Xion in climbing onto her back.

"You ready, Xion? This is gonna be your first flight." Draxon says

"I'm ready." Xion says

"Okay. Let's go." Draxon says

Draxon and Kindle both took off into the sky with Xion and Lapis following suit. Xion wrapped her arms around the Deadly Nadder's neck as the dragon took flight. The two dragons soared above the forest with their riders, flying nice and easy. When Lapis eased up a little, Xion sat up straight and started to enjoy the ride she was getting. She was flying on her own dragon. Xion and Lapis flew up alongside Draxon and Kindle, sharing glances with each other. The two riders and their dragons enjoyed their flight throughout the afternoon before heading back to the cove.

After several minutes of flying, Draxon and Xion both arrive back at the cove where they would leave their dragons until their next mission.

"You think the dragons will be alright if we leave them here?" Xion asks

"Don't worry, Xion. They'll be fine. There's plenty of fish and water to last them until our next mission." Draxon says

The Keyblade Wielder took off Kindle's saddle and sat it down against the one of the boulders in the cove.

"C'mon. Our mission's done and we gotta go. Knowing Axel, he's probably waiting for us in Twilight Town. Maybe Roxas is too." Draxon says

"Alright. I'm ready." Xion says

Draxon stretched his left-hand out and opened a dark corridor to Twilight Town. Xion looked up at her dragon, staring into it's gentle face.

"Lapis, I'm glad I met you today. I have a feeling the two of us are gonna be great friends." Xion says

Xion placed her hands on Lapis' head and she leaned her head against the dragon. Lapis let out a croon of comfort.

"I'll see you soon." Xion says

Having said farewell to their dragons, Draxon and Xion headed into the dark corridor and set off for Twilight Town to meet up with their friends. Kindle and Lapis looked at each other, then watched as the dark corridor disappeared.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Draxon and Xion both came into the Station Plaza after getting themselves some Sea Salt Ice Cream. Draxon had two ice cream pops in his hand. One for him. And the other for Roxas. As if on cue, Roxas walks out of a dark corridor after completing his mission of Heart Collection in Agrabah.

"Hey, guys!" Roxas greets

"Roxas!" Xion exclaims

"Nice timing. We just got back from our mission in Berk. How'd yours go?" Draxon says

"It was a lot of hearts to collect, but I handled it pretty well." Roxas says

"Glad to hear it." Draxon says

Draxon took the ice cream that was in his left-hand and gave it to Roxas.

"Here. I thought I'd save you the trouble." Draxon says

Roxas gladly took the ice cream in his hand.

"Thanks." Roxas says

"Okay. Let's go meet up with Axel. I'm sure he's waiting for us." Draxon says

The three teens went up to the top of the clock tower and they met up with Axel who was already sitting down along the ledge with Sea Salt Ice Cream in his hand.

"Another successful day?" Axel asks

"Yep. As usual." Draxon says

"Draxon took out today's Heartless in no time flat." Xion says

"Where'd they send you, Axel?" Roxas asks

"The place you and Xion hit yesterday." Axel says gesturing to Roxas and Xion with his ice cream

"You mean the one with the talking candelabra?" Xion asks

"That's the one. They needed me to do a little digging through the dust and cobwebs. How 'bout you?" Axel says

"I was on Heart Collection in Agrabah." Roxas says

"Me and Xion were assigned to Berk to eliminate some Flutterings. And let me tell you, it was some mission." Draxon says

Draxon looks left at Xion.

"Right, Xion?" Draxon says

"Yeah. We found a dragon called a Deadly Nadder too." Xion says

"It was attacked by the Heartless, but we took care of 'em. After that, the Deadly Nadder really warmed up to Xion. It even protected her during the fight." Draxon says

"Whoa! Xion, you got yourself a dragon?!" Roxas asks surprised

"Yep. Now like Draxon, I have a dragon I can ride." Xion says

"Believe it or not, it was a female dragon just like mine." Draxon says

"Did you give it a name?" Roxas asks

"Mm-hmm. I named her Lapis." Xion says

"That's awesome!" Roxas says

"Hey, if by chance your next mission is with me to Berk, I'll see if I can hook you up with a dragon of your own, Roxas. That way each of us will have dragons to ride. Who know, maybe we'll find Axel one too." Draxon says

"Well, I guess you guys are really getting the hang of working together, huh?" Axel says

"I don't know how long we can fool the other members, though." Xion says looking down

"Relax, we'll be fine." Roxas says

"Don't be too sure. They're not stupid." Axel says

"Axel's' got a point. Sure we can fool the other members, but Saïx, Xemnas, and Xigbar, I'm not sure." Draxon says

"Guess we'll just have to cross our fingers." Xion says

"Well, maybe Saïx, Xemnas, and Xigbar are tough, but come on, Demyx?" Roxas says

"Ouch! Roxas, hard blow." Axel says

"Oh, please. Look at him! All he does is play his sitar all the time." Roxas says

"Roxas is right, Axel. I mean it's not like he does anything." Draxon says

"I don't think you guys give him enough credit. He works just as hard as-" Axel says

Axel stopped for a moment and thought about Demyx.

"Okay, no he doesn't. But I'm pretty sure he has a job to do." Axel says

"You know, I've seen Demyx rocking out in the field with his sitar." Xion says

"And what exactly does that accomplish?" Draxon asks

"Hey, for all you guys know, he's probably out there fighting Heartless and doing recon just the same as you." Axel says

"Well, I've heard him say he wasn't cut out for combat." Roxas says

"I guess everybody in the Organization is good at different things." Draxon says

"That's right. Everybody's unique." Axel says

"Even Nobodies? Don't you need a heart to be unique?" Xion asks

"Just because we don't all have hearts doesn't mean that we're all exactly the same. And even so, there are things we have that sets us apart." Axel says

Axel gestures to his head with his left-finger.

"Like the memories of our pasts." Axel says

Draxon, Roxas, and Xion look over at Axel.

"What?" Xion asks

"Memories?" Draxon asks

"You remember your past?" Roxas asks

"Yeah. That's the one thing that makes each member of the Organization special. Unlike lesser Nobodies, we remember who we were as humans." Axel says

"But I don't." Roxas says looking down

"Me neither." Xion says looking down

"Same here." Draxon says looking down

"Well... maybe that's the one thing that makes you three the most unique in the Organization." Axel says

"What kind of person were you like before you were a Nobody?" Roxas asks looking at Axel

"Huh? Me? Oh, I dunno. I was probably the same guy, more or less." Axel says scratching the back of his head

"I wish I could remember who I was." Roxas says looking down

"Yeah. This emptiness inside. It makes me with I could remember stuff like that." Draxon says

"Really? It's just baggage, you know." Axel says

"But I-I can't remember anything. Not even my first week as a Nobody." Roxas says

"Yeah. Same goes for me. I can't remember anything. Not even when I was born a Nobody." Draxon says

"Man, whatever. You have trouble remembering things from five seconds ago. The both of you's. I mean all you two did was stare into space." Axel says smiling

"Oh, thanks!" Roxas says smiling

"Yeah! Thanks a lot!" Draxon says smiling

"You know, I don't remember much from the beginning either." Xion says looking down

"You three have a lot in common." Axel says looking at Xion

Roxas looks at Xion, then stares up at the sky.

"I wonder what kind of guy I was before..." Roxas says

Axel looked at Roxas, then looked away. Draxon felt the same way as Roxas did. He was born as a Nobody alongside him and neither one of them knew of their past. But he remember what Stoick told him back on Berk. The name of the boy he heard: Devon. And not only that, he learned that Devon was a Keyblade Wielder like him. That kind of information made Draxon wonder if he really was related to Devon.

( _Meanwhile_ )

In the forest just outside Twilight Town, two figures stood outside the gates leading to the Old Mansion. These two were Namine and DiZ. They were originally stationed at Castle Oblivion. But since it was still under the control of Organization XIII, they had decided to relocate to Twilight Town with Sora, Donald, and Goofy under their care for safekeeping. There, in the Old Mansion, they would continue their work in restoring the memories of Sora and his two companions.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Progress is being made. The members of Organization XIII rejoice to see the creation of Kingdom Hearts, and marvel at their hard work. Draxon heads to Berk on his mission and defends the village from a Heartless attack. He then returns on his next mission, hunting Flutterings, this time with Xion. The two Nobodies find a Deadly Nadder during their mission, who instantly warms up to Xion after defeating the Heartless. Now Xion has a dragon of her own! Draxon, Roxas, and Xion go about their missions as usual, but how long can they expect to keep up their plan. Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


	11. Xion's Keyblade

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 _ **~ Day 95 ~**_

 _ **Xion's Keyblade**_

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Draxon and Roxas started off their day walking into the Grey Area for their next mission, hoping it would be with Xion. As they entered the room, they were greeted by Xion herself.

"Hey, Roxas. Hey, Draxon." Xion greets

"Mornin', Xion." Draxon greets

"Hey." Roxas greets

"Ready for another day?" Xion asks

"Yep." Roxas says

"You know me. I'm always ready." Draxon says

Saïx approached the trio and gave them some troubling news.

"Draxon, Roxas, Xion, I need the three of you on separate missions today." Saïx says

The three teens were shocked to hear this.

"What?!" The trio says in shock

"Why?" Xion asks

"Two major Heartless have surfaced in two separate worlds. They must be eliminated. Roxas, Draxon, the two of you will leave for the Beast's Castle. Xion, you are going to Agrabah." Saïx says

"But how can I... Never mind." Xion says

Axel, who was leaning his back against the wall with his arms crossed next to entrance, overheard the argument and walked over to help his friends out.

"Whoa, you're gonna send Roxas and Draxon to the Beast's Castle? I dunno... I was just there for recon, remember? I saw that Heartless you're talking about. It's a real mean one. You don't want to pit Roxas and Draxon against that thing. Not without some backup that is. I'm thinking you should let Xion tag along with them." Axel says

"If I send these three to the Beast's Castle, who's going to handle the Heartless in Agrabah?" Saïx asks

"I will." Axel says

"You?" Saïx says raising an eyebrow

"Sure. I'm a big boy." Axel says

"Except you can't collect hearts." Saïx says

"So what? I'll keep the Heartless out of trouble, then Draxon, Roxas, and Xion can hit it another day." Axel says

Saïx closed his eyes for a brief moment, growling under his breath. He soon opened his eyes and gazed at the trio and Axel.

"Very well. I will permit this, but only for today." Saïx says

Saïx turned around and was about to walk away when he turned his head back at the quartet.

"Starting tomorrow, the three of you work solo." Saïx says

Having said that, Saïx walked away.

"Well, looks like we've bought ourselves another day. You guys better make it count." Axel says

"Thanks, Axel." Roxas says

"Yeah. Thanks for having our backs." Draxon says

"No sweat. I'll take care of the Heartless in Agrabah. You guys just deal with the Heartless in the Beast's Castle for today." Axel says

"Right." Draxon says

Draxon stretched his right-hand out infront of him, opening up a dark corridor to the Beast's Castle. The three teens looked back at each other, then walked into the dark portal. Once they were gone, Saïx turned and looked at Axel.

"Don't think for a minute I didn't believe that." Saïx says

"Believed what?" Axel asks

"That reprehensible performance." Saïx says

"Uh-huh, well... I'd better get over to Agrabah." Axel says

Axel stretched his right-hand out to his side and opened up a dark corridor to Agrabah. He then walked right on in and went to his mission while Saïx watched him go.

( _Beast's Castle_ )

Draxon, Roxas, and Xion all stepped out of the dark corridor, arriving within the Secret Passageway inside the Beast's Castle. The two boys scanned the area and saw that it was clear.

"So, this is the Beast's Castle. The world that you and Xion have been exploring?" Draxon says

"Yeah." Roxas says

"Looks real charming." Draxon says

Draxon and Roxas both looked over at Xion, who was still worried about being unable to wield her Keyblade.

"You alright, Xion?" Draxon asks

"I don't know what I'm gonna do starting tomorrow." Xion says

Xion stretched out her right-hand infront of her and tried to summon her Keyblade. A flash of light shone in her hand for a brief moment, but no Keyblade materialized.

"It's no use..." Xion sighs in defeat

Draxon and Roxas shared glances with each other, both feeling bad for Xion. They wanted to help Xion, but it was like she said. If she couldn't summon the Keyblade anymore, she'll be useless to the Organization and she'll get turned into a dusk. Draxon stared down at his right-hand, then came up with an idea.

"Hey, Xion. Think you can wield my Keyblade?" Draxon asks

Draxon stretched his right-hand out infront of him, summoning his Keyblade: Soul Calibur in a flash of blue light. He then gave his Keyblade to Xion. She took hold of the Keyblade and gave it a swing.

"Yeah. I think I can." Xion says

"Then you can use mine for today. Maybe it'll help you regain your ability to summon your own Keyblade." Draxon says

"But what about you, Draxon?" Xion asks

Draxon looks down at his hands as he channels blue electricity from them. He grips both his hands into fists, causing the electricity to disappear.

"I'll improvise." Draxon says

"Are you sure about this, Draxon?" Roxas asks

"Of course. Xion managed without the Keyblade so far. Who says I'm not up to it?" Draxon says shrugging his shoulders like it was no big deal

Draxon lifted up his right-hand and opened it up, which made a blue electric orb appear hovering in his palm.

"Besides, I've got some magic to spare." Draxon says

Draxon lowered his hand and the electric orb disappeared.

"Thanks, Draxon." Xion says with a slight smile

Draxon nodded his head to Xion.

"Alright. Let's go find this Heartless." Draxon says

"Lead the way." Roxas says

And so, the three Keyblade Wielders began their mission searching for the Heartless inside the Beast's Castle. They head out of the secret passage and enter the Undercroft. From there, they head out into the West Wing. The trio proceed through the large hallway when they hear a voice from around the corner.

"Those horrid creatures plaguing the castle have kept the master from seeing Belle for days..." The voice says

Draxon holds his right-hand out to Roxas and Xion behind them, telling them to stop. Moving quietly, he heads over to the south end of the hallway and peers around the corner. He looks back at Roxas and Xion and waves his hand over to them. The two teens move over to Draxon and the trio takes a peek into the next hallway. Inside was Cogsworth who was facing away from the trio, obviously upset over the presence of Heartless in the castle.

"There has to be someway to bring the two of them together!" Cogsworth says

The trio watched as Cogsworth headed down the hall and out of sight.

"That clock..." Xion says

"He mentioned Belle." Roxas says

"The last time we were here, the candelabra was talking about the same thing." Xion says

"From what you guys have told me, it seems like the servants are awfully interested in making sure Belle and the Beast get along." Draxon says

"You think it's strange?" Roxas asks

"Well, they seem to be in such a rush about it." Draxon says looking back at Roxas

"Yeah. That's true..." Roxas says

Draxon moves around from the corner and stands out looking out into the hallway where Cogsworth went off.

"Let's just focus on our target." Draxon says

"Right." Roxas and Xion both say in agreement

Continuing on with their mission, the three teens push on into the Entrance Hall. They look around but don't see their Heartless anywhere.

"Well, it's obvious the Heartless isn't in here." Draxon says

"Where do you think we should look next, Draxon?" Roxas asks

Draxon looks around at the four doors surrounding them. Turning around, he glances over at the East Wing. He thinks about the idea of searching the East Wing, but immediately shrugs it off. He then diverts his attention to the door at the top of the stairs which led into the Ballroom, thinking that the Heartless would most likely be inside.

"Maybe we should try the room at the top of those stairs. I've got a good feeling the Heartless we're looking for might be in there." Draxon says

Draxon heads back up the stairs with Roxas and Xion following his lead. The trio head into the Ballroom and look around. The Heartless was nowhere in sight.

"Not here either." Draxon says

"I'm sorry, Draxon... Taking your Keyblade must make things really harder for you." Xion says looking down

Draxon turns and looks at Xion with a calm look on his face.

"It's fine, Xion. You don't have to worry about me. I can handle myself." Draxon says waving his hand

"How about you? Has it jogged your memory?" Roxas asks

Xion shakes her head.

"Nothing yet... Sorry." Xion says

"I'm sure it'll come back to you. Don't sweat it." Draxon says

"Yeah. Thanks, Draxon." Xion says

Suddenly, Draxon saw something standing on the balcony above the door behind them. It was the Heartless they were searching for. It's name: Bully Dog.

"There's our Heartless! Up there!" Draxon says pointing up at the Heartless

The Bully Dog let out a couple of loud barks, then jumps off the balcony, heading down toward the trio.

"Whoa! Watch out!" Draxon exclaims

The three Keyblade Wielders quickly jump back and avoid being crushed by the large Heartless. The Bully Dog growled at the teens, then let out some more barks.

"Roxas, Xion, you two ready?" Draxon asks looking back over his left-shoulder

"Yeah!" Roxas says

"I'm ready!" Xion says

Roxas summoned his Keyblade into his hand while Xion took hold of Draxon's Keyblade. Draxon nodded his head to the two teens, then faced back at the Heartless. Utilizing his magic, Draxon conjures up two blue electric orbs in his hands and sends a surge of electricity between them. He then gets into battle stance with his legs spread out and his arms stretched out with the electric orbs still in his hands and the electricity surging between them.

"Okay. Let's do this!" Draxon says

Draxon takes his hands and cups them together, combining both electric orbs into a larger one. He then sends it flying at the Bully Dog. The electric orbs hits the Heartless straight on in the head and explodes in a torrent of lightning, dishing out lots of damage and leaving it stunned for a moment. The Bully Dog quickly shook off the attack and charged at the trio. It went to bite the three teens with it's jaws, but they quickly jumped away, dodging it's attack. Draxon slid to a stop and thrust both his arms out infront of him, launching two blue electric blasts at the Bully Dog. The electric blasts struck the Bully Dog in it's eyes, which made it stagger backwards and fall on it's rump, giving Roxas and Xion a chance to attack.

"Roxas, Xion, hit it with your Keyblades! Now!" Draxon yells

Roxas and Xion both rushed past Draxon and closed in on the Heartless, using both their Keyblades to attack. Roxas struck the Bully Dog with a right slash, an uppercut slash, a downward slash, and a reverse roundhouse slash while Xion went along with a right-diagonal slash, a left slash, an uppercut slash, and a downward slash. Draxon helped out as much as he could, launching several electric blasts from his hands while Roxas and Xion continued hitting the Heartless. Working together, the three teens were able to dish out extensive damage to the Heartless.

It wasn't long until the Bully Dog finally snapped out of it, shaking it's head to recover. Once it was back on it's feet, the Heartless snapped it's jaws at the two teens infront of it. Roxas and Xion quickly jumped back over to Draxon, narrowly dodging the Bully Dog's teeth. Before the trio could attack again, the Heartless jumps straight up into the air and falls back down in an attempt to crush them underneath it's huge weight. The three teens immediately leapt out of the way, dodging the Bully Dog just as it bounces onto the floor with it's belly.

Draxon grips his hands into fists, then slowly opens them up, conjuring up more electric orbs in his open palms. He hurls them both at the Bully Dog, landing two direct hits to it's head. He then launches a third electric orb which creates a large electrical explosion on impact, landing another hit to the Bully Dog's head. The explosion blasted the Bully Dog back slightly, but it was enough to leave it stunned for Roxas and Xion, giving them yet another chance to attack.

"Now! While it's down!" Draxon yells

Roxas and Xion both rushed in and thrust their Keyblades at the Heartless in unison, attacking it with a lunging strike. They quickly followed up with some more attacks. Roxas swung his Keyblade with a downward slash, a right-upward slash, a left slash, and a right slash. Xion swung her Keyblade with a left-upward slash, a right slash, a left-diagonal slash, and a roundhouse slash. Draxon stayed back and continued hurling fireballs at the Bully Dog, lending his support to the two Keyblade Wielders.

Eventually, the Bully Dog snapped out of it and let out a couple of barks, firing powerful shockwaves which forced Roxas and Xion back. The Heartless rushes toward the trio in an aggressive charge in an attempt to ram them with it's large body. The three Keyblade Wielders quickly jump out of the way, avoiding the Heartless as it rushed past them. The Bully Dog turned around to face the trio and immediately set it's sights on Draxon, sensing him to be the greater threat even though he was not using his Keyblade.

The Bully Dog went straight for Draxon, ignoring Roxas and Xion completely. Roxas moved infront of Draxon to defend him from the Heartless, but was knocked aside. The Bully Dog went and snapped it's jaws at Draxon, but he leaned his body to the left, dodging it's teeth by inches. The Heartless kept trying to bite Draxon with it's jaws, but Draxon kept moving his body away. He soon leapt back and countered with an electric blast, landing a hit right into the Bully Dog's face, which makes the Heartless stagger backwards.

After sending the Bully Dog back, Draxon spreads his arms and legs out and closed his eyes as he prepared to unleash a powerful magic attack. He grips both his hands tightly, causing electricity to spark from them. In a matter his whole body began pulsating with electricity, which got more intense by the minute as it crackled and danced around his being. Roxas and Xion both shared glances with each other and watched in amazement while this was going on. Once he was fully charged, Draxon opened his eyes, which were now glowing blue, and thrust both his hands out toward the Bully Dog, unleashing arcs of lightning bolts from his fingertips. The Heartless was violently electrocuted by the electric onslaught. Draxon kept up the attack for several seconds before lowering his hands and slumping down on all fours, gasping for air. The Bully Dog fell down on it's stomach and was left paralyzed by the powerful attack. It's body twitched a bit from the electricity with some sparks appearing here and there.

"Xion! This one's yours! Finish it off!" Draxon says looking back at Xion

Xion nodded her head and ran straight toward the Bully Dog. She gripped the crystal Keyblade with both hands and drew it back as she got closer to the Heartless. Within moments, Xion strikes with a left-uppercut slash, slicing through the Heartless and finishing the fight. The Bully Dog disappears in a flash of light, releasing it's heart in the process. Once the Heartless was dealt with, Xion stood up straight and turned to look at Draxon and Roxas.

"Nice work, guys." Draxon says

"Thanks, Draxon. Here. You can have your Keyblade back." Xion says handing Draxon's Keyblade back to him

Draxon takes his Keyblade back into his hand and nods his head. He then de-summons his Keyblade in a flash of blue light.

"Draxon, how were you able to unleash an attack like that? I've never seen you do that before." Roxas says

"Yeah. That was amazing." Xion says

Draxon shrugs his shoulders.

"I'm not really sure. Must be some kind of special power I have." Draxon says

Changing the subject, Draxon and Roxas look towards Xion.

"So, Xion, do you think you can use your Keyblade now?" Draxon asks

"I don't know... but let me try again." Xion says

Xion closed her eyes and clenches her right-hand into a fist. She then stretches her hand out to her side, concentrating on summoning her Keyblade. It worked. Xion's Keyblade appeared in her hand in a flash of light. Xion opened her eyes and gasped in surprise as she saw the Keyblade in her hand.

"You did it!" Roxas exclaims happily

"Alright, Xion!" Draxon exclaims happily

"Draxon! Roxas! It worked!" Xion exclaims happily

"We gotta tell Axel about this!" Roxas says

"Oh, I can't wait to see the look on his face." Draxon says

"Let's go!" Roxas says

"Yeah!" Xion says

Having completed their mission, Draxon, Roxas, and Xion left the Beast's Castle and headed for Twilight Town, very happy of their success.

( _Twilight Town_ )

In Twilight Town, Axel was at the top of the clock tower lying down on his back with his hands behind his head, relaxing after his mission in Agrabah. He let out a sigh as he gazed up at the orange sky. Suddenly, Roxas appeared out of nowhere and looked down at Axel.

"Axel!" Roxas says

"Whoa!" Axel exclaims

Axel shot up and looked over at Draxon, Roxas, and Xion.

"Where'd you come from?!" Axel exclaims

The three teens looked at each other and laughed a bit.

"How was your mission?" Draxon asks

"Oh, it was loads of fun. You know, I'd wish the Heartless would hold still once in a while. I fell on my butt chasing the stupid thing around." Axel says

"I thought you said you were tough." Roxas says placing his hands on his waist

"Yup. You did say that." Draxon says with a smug look on his face

"Yeah, whatever. That's got nothing to do with it. So, how'd your caper go?" Axel says

Draxon and Roxas looked over at Xion, who nodded her head. Xion stretched her right-hand out and summoned her Keyblade into her hand.

"Ta-daaah!" Draxon and Roxas say in unison gesturing to Xion with their hands

Axel looked on in surprise and he let out a slight gasp.

"Draxon, Roxas, Axel, thank you." Xion says feeling grateful

"Me? I didn't do anything." Axel says

"You made it possible for us to go on a mission together." Xion says

"Yeah. If it wasn't for you, the three of us would've had to split up." Roxas says

"And Xion probably would've never remembered how to use the Keyblade." Draxon says

"So thanks, Axel." Xion says

Axel scratches the back of his head.

"How 'bout a Sea-Salt ice cream, then?" Axel asks

"Huh?" Xion says feeling confused cocking her head slightly to the left

"Buy me one, and we'll call it even." Axel says

"Heh, you got it! Wait here, I'll be right back!" Xion says

With that, Xion ran off into town to buy some Sea-Salt Ice Cream for her friends.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon, Roxas, Xion, and Axel all sat together along the ledge of the clock tower, each holding their own ice cream, staring out at the sunset.

"I hope we can be just like this forever." Roxas says

"Yeah. Right here where we always have each other." Draxon says

"Me too." Xion says

"What's that all about?" Axel asks

"I just... want these days to last forever. Hanging out, the ice cream, the sunsets..." Roxas says

"Well, nothing ever lasts forever, you know? Least of all for a bunch of Nobodies like us. But it's okay if things change and we can't meet up here. As long as we keep each other in our thoughts, none of us will ever have to be apart." Axel says

Axel points to his head.

"Got it memorized?" Axel says

Draxon, Roxas, and Xion stared at Axel for a moment, contemplating what he had just said. Then, they laughed.

"Wow. That was so not you." Roxas chuckles

"Ha ha. Yeah. That sounded ridiculous coming from you." Draxon chuckles

"Hey! I thought it was pretty deep." Axel says playfully pushing Roxas on his shoulder

The quartet all started laughing at the moment they were having.

 _ **~ Day 97 ~**_

 _ **Transfer**_

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Draxon and Roxas walked into the Grey Area ready for their next missions.

"Well, back to missions as usual." Draxon says

"At least we were able to help Xion." Roxas says

"Yeah. She can handle missions herself now that she can use the Keyblade again." Draxon says

Roxas looked around the room and noticed that Xion wasn't around.

"Looks like Xion isn't here." Roxas says

"She must've been given her mission already." Draxon says

Draxon looks back at Roxas.

"C'mon. We'd better get on with our missions." Draxon says

"Right." Roxas says

The two boys approached Saïx and were both given their missions.

"Starting today, you will both be carrying out solo missions." Saïx says

Saïx looks over at Draxon on his right.

"Draxon, you are to head to Berk to eliminate some Aerial Masters." Saïx says

Saïx then turns his head over to Roxas on his left.

"Roxas, you will be going to Agrabah to vanquish the Heartless threat that has surfaced there. Both of you have your missions. Now, get them done." Saïx says

Draxon and Roxas both nodded their heads to Saïx in acknowledgement, then they looked at each other.

"Alright. Good luck with your mission, Roxas." Draxon says

"You too, Draxon." Roxas says

Draxon stretched his left-hand out to his side and a dark corridor opened up for him. He then set off for Berk while Roxas headed for Agrabah.

( _Agrabah_ )

Roxas walked out of the dark corridor and arrived in Agrabah. As soon as he arrived, Roxas noticed Aladdin and Jasmine talking nearby. He quickly leapt into the nearby empty stall on his left, keeping quiet. Peeking his head over the counter, Roxas listened in on the conversation between Aladdin and Jasmine.

"What do you mean it disappeared?" Jasmine asks

"It's just like I said. The sandstorm moving across the desert up and vanished. Now we can finally go outside the city again." Aladdin says

"Well, that's wonderful! What a relief." Jasmine says

"Hold on... We still need to watch out for the Heartless. They've been sighted around Agrabah even after the storm cleared up. There's even one out in the desert ruins. We'll have to be careful. I'm gonna go make sure everything's okay." Aladdin says

"All right. You be safe too, Aladdin." Jasmine says

Roxas watched as Aladdin went out into the city streets while Jasmine headed into the palace. He then began to ponder on what Aladdin said.

 _"A Heartless out in the desert ruins? It could very well be my target. I'd better head over there and take it out."_ Roxas thought to himself

Roxas move out of the empty stall and proceeded into the desert city. He moved through the city streets and approached the city gate. With his mind set on finding the Heartless, Roxas leaves the city and heads out into the desert. He walked across the dunes for several minutes, pushing forward towards the ruins ahead. Roxas looked back towards the city of Agrabah and saw that it was now a tiny in the distance. Focusing back on his mission, he continued onward towards the ruins.

When Roxas got to the desert ruins, he found it to be a large area with broken buildings and pillars scattered around. Roxas looked around the area, but did not see the Heartless anywhere. Suddenly, he felt the ground shake. Then, he saw a massive Heartless swimming through the sand with it's body half submerged. It's name: Antlion. Roxas summoned his Keyblade into his hand and got into battle stance as he prepared himself for a fight against the Heartless.

The Antlion swims straight toward Roxas while he stood his ground. Just as it was about to reach him, the Heartless dives into the sand. Roxas looks around for the Heartless, wondering where it might pop up. The Antlion soon emerges behind Roxas, surprising him. The Heartless sends a shockwave of sand towards Roxas, but he quickly rolls over to the left, dodging the dangerous sand wave. Roxas moves in and strikes the Antlion with his Keyblade, attacking it's face. He strikes the Heartless with a left-uppercut slash, three horizontal slashes, and a downward slash. He follows up with a somersault slash, flipping forward and backward twice, landing multiple hits to the Antlion.

With Roxas in it's sights, the Antlion tries to bite Roxas with it's mandibles, but he ducks down, dodging the first bite, then jumps back to dodge the second. The Heartless then charges at Roxas at high speed, intent on ramming him. Roxas quickly leapt over to the right, dodging the Heartless as it came inches from hitting him. The Antlion slams into a broken building and was left stunned. Pushing on the assault, Roxas aims his Keyblade at the Antlion and launches three fireballs from the tip. Each of the fireballs hit the Heartless, creating small explosions on impact. He then shoots three ice blasts at the Heartless, adding on to the attack. Both magic attacks dish out effective damage to the Antlion.

The Antlion recovers and dives into the sand. A few seconds later, it rises out of the sand and hovers over the ground with a whirlwind shield surrounding it. Then, it sends three cube-shaped bombs flying at Roxas. The young teens evades the bombs as they crash into the sand. The bombs didn't explode on impact and were left sitting in the ground. Roxas looked at the bombs and an idea formed in his head. Using his Keyblade, Roxas sends the bombs flying back at the Heartless, swinging his Keyblade like a golf club. The bombs hit the Antlion and explode on impact, causing it onto fall to the ground, stunned. Once the Heartless was down, Roxas made his move. He rushes at the Antlion with a lunging strike, then follows up with some fast slashes.

Regaining it's senses, the Antlion levitates back into the air, towering over Roxas, casting it's shadow over him. It's head began to glow with a purple aura as it charged up with dark energy. Roxas backed up a bit and braced himself for the Heartless' attack. Within moments, the Antlion shoots a large, red laser from its mouth down toward Roxas, who instinctively jumps and rolls out of the way. The Heartless kept up it's beam attack while Roxas quickly ran to the right. The young teen curved around and headed straight for the Heartless. As he closed distance with the Heartless, Roxas takes hold of his Keyblade with both hands, ready to finish it off. Within moments, he leaps high up into the air, raises the Keyblade over his head, and slices the Heartless' egg-shaped body vertically in half with a clean, overhead strike.

After being sliced by the Keyblade, the Antlion's bisected body splits apart and falls to the ground with a loud thud, kicking up a bunch of sand. It's heart was soon released and sent flying up to Kingdom Hearts.

With the Heartless defeated and his mission complete, Roxas headed back to Agrabah.

( _Moments later_ )

In Agrabah, Aladdin and Jasmine stood at the palace gates talking to each other.

"How do things look?" Jasmine asks

"Eerily quiet. There are definitely fewer Heartless out there than before." Aladdin says

"You make it sound like it's a bad thing! Now we can finally relax a little." Jasmine says

"Or at least focus on getting things rebuilt." Aladdin says

Roxas watched the conversation between Aladdin and Jasmine from the rooftops above them.

"Well, I'd say that's another case closed." A voice says next to Roxas

Roxas looked over to his left and saw Genie and Carpet next to him.

"Yaaagh!" Roxas exclaims jumping in surprise

"Oh, come on. I'm not that scary. Are you trying to give me a complex?" Genie says

"It's not my fault that you pop out of nowhere!" Roxas says

"This, coming from the guy who vanished into thin air the last time we met! Well, anyway..." Genie says

Roxas and Genie look down and watch as Aladdin and Jasmine head off into the city streets.

"I'm glad to see Al's doing alright. Now I can enjoy the rest of my vacation free of worries!" Genie says

Roxas looks up at Genie.

"You're not gonna say hello?" Roxas asks

"Nobody ever told you that three's a crowd? Well, it's time for the crowd to clear out!" Genie says

Genie and Carpet flew off while Roxas watched them go. He then put his hand to his chin and wondered about Genie.

"What's that guy's story, anyway? He said he used to be a genie in a lamp..." Roxas says

"You really want to know?" A voice asks

Roxas looks back up to see that the Genie and Carpet were back, which made him jump with a start.

"Agh!" Roxas exclaims

"It's a long story, amigo? Long, long ago, before time was time..." Genie says

"Never mind, then." Roxas says shaking his head

"Aww... Okay, then. This time, it's so long for real! See ya around, pal." Genie says

With that, Genie and Carpet left Agrabah, continuing on with their own journey while Roxas watched them go.

( _Berk_ )

Draxon walks out of the dark corridor and arrives at the Cove on the island of Berk. As he stepped out into the Cove, the young teen could see his dragon, Kindle, and Xion's dragon, Lapis, laying on the grass. The two dragons in turn saw Draxon as he came out of the dark corridor. Once she laid eyes on her rider, Kindle jumped up to her feet and bounded over to him.

"Hey, Kindle!" Draxon greets

The Monstrous Nightmare nuzzled her head against Draxon's body, wagging her tail happily. Draxon rubbed his hands on Kindle's head, making the dragon purr with content. He even gave her a few scratches under her chin, which she really loved.

Lapis watched as the young human and his Monstrous Nightmare showed affection for each other. She recognized the boy as Xion's friend since he had Xion's scent on him. Lapis approached the duo, drawing their attention.

"Hi, Lapis." Draxon greets

The Deadly Nadder felt confused as to why Xion did not come with Draxon. The Keyblade Wielder noticed this when Lapis started looking around for Xion, raising her head up and looking left and right.

"I know you're looking for Xion, Lapis." Draxon says

Draxon looks down with slight depression on his face.

"I'm sorry. She couldn't come with me today." Draxon says

Lapis looked down with a saddened expression clear on it's face. The young teen looked back up at the dragon, trying to comfort her.

"But you can still join me and Kindle in our mission for today." Draxon says

Draxon stretched his right-hand out to Lapis, offering his affection to the dragon. The Deadly Nadder stared at the hand for a brief moment, but she soon moved her head closer. Draxon's hand touched Lapis' snout, making the dragon croon with content.

"Let's get going. Maybe Stoick or Gobber might know where to find the Heartless." Draxon says

Draxon went and put the saddles on both dragons. As soon as they were ready, they took off into the air, heading for the village of Berk.

( _Moments later_ )

The village of Berk was quiet and everything was going well for the Vikings and Dragons. Everyone was going about their daily lives as usual whether it was tending to cattle and crops, unloading fish from the docks, or just going for flights around the village. Stoick and Gobber walked out of the Great Hall and proceeded down the stone staircase.

"Everything's lookin' good so far, Stoick. There's been no sign of Heartless for days since Draxon and his dragon took out that big Heartless last time." Gobber says

"Maybe, but that don't mean we should let our guard down. Those Heartless are still out there... somewhere." Stoick says

"Stoick!" A Viking calls out

Stoick and Gobber saw a male Viking running toward them.

"There's something approaching the village." The Viking says

"Heartless?" Stoick asks

"Don't know. But it's coming from the forest. Look!" The Viking says pointing to the sky

The three Vikings glanced off toward the forest and saw two figures approaching the village from the sky. They felt slightly wary, thinking it might be Heartless. But as the two silhouettes got closer, they could clearly make out what they were. They quickly recognized the first figure as Kindle, the female Monstrous Nightmare, who had her rider mounted on her back.

"Hey! There's Draxon!" Gobber exclaims

The second figure the Vikings saw was Lapis, the female Deadly Nadder.

"And it looks like he got himself another dragon." Stoick says

The Monstrous Nightmare and Deadly Nadder touch down and land in the plaza. Draxon jumped down from Kindle's back and approached Stoick and Gobber while the other Viking who was with them went off to his own duties.

"Stoick! Gobber!" Draxon greets happily

"Draxon! It's been a while since last we saw ya." Gobber says waving his blacksmith tongs prosthetic

"How's the village?" Draxon asks

"So far, we've been faring well. Ever since you thwarted the Heartless attack, it's been quiet. There's been no sign of any Heartless for days, but I think they're still on the island somewhere." Stoick says

"Well, it's good to know that the village is okay." Draxon says

The two Vikings notice Lapis standing next to Kindle.

"Say, Draxon, where'd you find this Deadly Nadder?" Stoick asks

Draxon looks back at the Deadly Nadder as she groomed herself.

"Oh, Lapis? Me and Kindle found her in the forest. She was being assaulted by a group of Heartless when we first found her. But we stepped in and saved her. She's Xion's dragon." Draxon says

"Xion?" Gobber asks

Draxon looks back at the two Vikings.

"A friend of mine. She was with me when we rescued Lapis. I'm looking after her dragon while she's away. Which reminds me, I'm looking for some Heartless that might be lurking around on the island. You wouldn't happen to have any idea where they might be, would you?" Draxon says

"No. It's like we've said. The island's been quiet since the last Heartless attack." Gobber says

"You could try searching the nearby forest. I'm certain the Heartless you're looking for is somewhere out there." Stoick says

"Alright. That's what I'll do. Thanks." Draxon says

With his mind set on searching the forests of Berk, Draxon walks over to Kindle and climbs up onto her saddle. He waves to Stoick and Gobber, who wave back at him, then takes off into the air, heading into the wilderness.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon, Kindle, and Lapis zip past the trees in the forest, searching for their targets. Eventually, they head into a clearing and land. The Keyblade Wielder jumps down from Kindle's back and scans the surrounding area.

"C'mon, Heartless. I know Saïx wouldn't send me here for nothing, so where are you?" Draxon says

As Draxon continued looking around for the Heartless, Kindle and Lapis both raised their heads up, sensing something was coming. The two dragons looked back and saw an unknown creature heading straight for them. Reacting quickly, Kindle rushed over to Draxon and covered him with her body and wings, shielding him from the creature as it swooped over their heads. The Keyblade Wielder was surprised when Kindle shielded him with her large body.

"Whoa! Kindle?!" Draxon exclaims

The unknown creature flew back around and hovered low above the ground before the young teen and the two dragons, making it's presence known. It was a Heartless known as an Aerial Master. Draxon moved out from underneath Kindle's body and he saw the Heartless infront of him. Just then, two more Aerial Masters appeared on both sides of the first one.

"Okay. There's our Heartless." Draxon says

Draxon summons his Keyblade into his right-hand and gets into battle stance alongside the Monstrous Nightmare and Deadly Nadder.

"Let's take them out!" Draxon says

The first Aerial Master in the middle flies straight toward Draxon in a rushing attack with a flying punch. Draxon quickly jumps back just as the Heartless throws it's punch at him. He then counters with an uppercut slash, landing a direct hit to the Heartless, sending it flipping backwards through the air. The Aerial Master recovered from the blow it recieved and sent two fast boomerang-like projectiles with a swing of it's brass knuckle hands at Draxon. The young teen deflected both projectiles with his Keyblade, swinging them back at the Heartless, each landing a hit.

Draxon leaps up at the Aerial Master and strikes it multiple times with his Keyblade, attacking it with some quick slashes. He hits the Heartless with two fast cross slashes, swinging his Keyblade left and right, then follows up with an overhead spinning slash, creating streaks of blue light. Landing down on the ground, Draxon crouches down as he charges up with pure energy, making a blue aura appear briefly on his body. He soon strikes the Aerial Master with four spiral slashes, summoning two blue orbs of light around him. The Heartless was defeated and it disintegrates in a flash of light, releasing it's heart into the sky.

One of the other Aerial Masters flew up into the air and dove down at Draxon in a corkscrew spin. The young teen saw the incoming Heartless and leapt over to the side, dodging the attack. The Heartless flew back around to try and attack Draxon again, but Kindle moved in to defend her rider. She launches a fire blast from her mouth which hits the Aerial Master with a direct hit, exploding on impact. The Heartless was engulfed in flames, receiving significant damage from Kindle's fire blast. Eventually, the Aerial Master was disintegrated and it's heart was released.

With two Aerial Masters down, there was only one left.

The last remaining Aerial Master flew up into the air and swooped down at the young teen and the two dragons, who instinctively duck down to avoid it's rushing attack. Lapis flicked her tail at the Heartless, sending a bunch of it's tail spikes toward it. Each of the spikes hit the Aerial Master in multiple places on it's body. While the Heartless was stunned by Lapis' spine shot, Draxon saw his chance to finish it off. He aims at the Heartless, takes his Keyblade, and hurls it with a right toss. The Keyblade flies through the air, leaving a sparkling trail of blue light in it's path. Within moments, the Keyblade cuts through the Aerial Master's body, slicing it in half across it's torso.

With that, the fight was finished. The Aerial Master's bisected body split apart and fell to the ground before vanishing in a flash of light, releasing it's heart in the process.

"Alright. Our mission is done. Time to call it a day." Draxon says

Draxon de-summons his Keyblade, heads over to Kindle, and climbs up onto her back. The young teen looked over at Lapis and the Deadly Nadder looked back at him. Draxon smiled and nodded his head to the dragon. He then pats his right-hand on Kindle's neck, making her glance back at him.

"Let's head back to Berk. Stoick and Gobber need to know about this." Draxon says

Kindle let out a roar and they took off into the air, heading back to Berk with Lapis following them. As they flew out of the forest, Draxon thought if maybe he could leave Kindle and Lapis in the village of Berk with Stoick and Gobber. That way, it would save him the trouble of having to travel back and forth from the cove to the village. Keeping that thought in mind, Draxon continued his flight straight to Berk.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon, Kindle, and Lapis returned to the village and met up with Stoick and Gobber.

"Draxon, you're back already." Gobber says

"Did you find the Heartless you're looking for?" Stoick asks

"Yeah. They were out in the forest, but me, Kindle, and Lapis took care of them." Draxon says

"I knew it. Those Heartless are still lurking around. There's got to be some way to be rid of them. They're much worse than when we were fighting the dragons." Stoick says

"You just let me know when they start popping up. I'll deal with them." Draxon says

"We certaintly appreciate the help, Draxon. Thank you." Stoick says

"No problem at all. Listen, I gotta get going. My friends are probably waiting for me. But do you mind if I can ask you guys one favor?" Draxon says

"Really? What might that be?" Gobber asks

"Would it be alright if I leave Kindle and Lapis here in the village? I'm sure they'll be much more happier with all the dragons you've got around here." Draxon asks

"Of course. We'd be more than happy to have them here in Berk. It's the least we could do for you after all you've done for us." Stoick says

"Don't you worry about a thing, Draxon. We'll take good care of them 'til your next visit." Gobber says

"Great! Anytime I drop on by, I'll pick them up and we'll take on the next Heartless that shows up." Draxon says

Draxon turns around and faces the two dragons behind him.

"Okay you two. I gotta go." Draxon says

The young teen walks up to the Monstrous Nightmare and gently strokes her head with his hands. Kindle let out a croon of comfort, feeling her rider's touch.

"Take good care of yourselves." Draxon says smiling

Both the Keyblade Wielder and his dragon drifted apart and Draxon took his leave. He walked out towards the forest, waving good-bye to the two Vikings and Dragons behind him. Once he was away from the village, Draxon stopped in a clearing and stretched his right-hand out infront of him, opening up a dark corridor. He then went into the dark corridor and left Berk, heading for Twilight Town to meet up with his friends.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Draxon, Roxas, Xion, and Axel met up with each other at the top of the clock tower and they all sat together, eating their Sea-Salt Ice Cream.

"Keyblade still works?" Draxon asks looking left at Xion

"Yeah, everything's fine now." Xion says nodding her head

"Glad to hear it." Draxon says

"I owe it all to you two and Axel." Xion says

"Eat your ice cream before it melts." Axel says

"Hah, look at Axel! He's bright red!" Roxas laughs looking right at Axel

"Oh, pipe down." Axel says smirking

"Heh heh heh heh." Xion laughs

The four friends continued eating their ice cream, enjoying the rest of the evening. Now that Xion had regained her power over the Keyblade, Draxon and Roxas thought their troubles would be over. But they were only just beginning.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** At last! Xion's got her Keyblade back! After many days of being powerless, Xion has regained her ability to wield the Keyblade thanks to Draxon and Roxas. Now, it's back to missions as usual. But there are more struggles ahead. How long until the truth is revealed? And what hardships will our heroes face next? Only time will tell. Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


	12. Unknown Secrets

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 _ **~ Day 117 ~**_

 _ **Secrets**_

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Three weeks have passed since Xion has regained her power over the Keyblade and things were going well for her, Draxon, and Roxas. They went about their missions same as usual for the Organization, hunting down Heartless and collecting hearts.

Axel was sitting in his room on his bed when he heard the door open. It was Saix who came in to speak with him.

"Ever heard of knocking? What do you want?" Axel asks

"Tell me what Xion has been doing?" Saïx says

"Well, how should I know? I'm not spying on her." Axel says shrugging his shoulders

"The two of you look pretty close." Saïx says

"So what? Now I gotta rat on my friends to you?" Axel says

Axel looks away.

"I think you should just go." Axel says

"Today, you and Xion will be executing your next mission together." Saïx says

"Well, thank you, sir, for personally delivering that message to me. You paid me a visit just for that?" Axel says in a sarcastic tone

"We also need you to return to Castle Oblivion soon." Saïx says

"Says Lord Xemnas?" Axel asks

"That castle hasn't given up all it's secrets. There's one in particular that Lord Xemnas is especially interested in. One even he doesn't know of it's whereabouts." Saïx says

"Even he doesn't know... You mean the chamber, right? We turned that place inside out. If it's there, we're not gonna find it just by looking." Axel says

"Then let me give you another reason. Xion comes from the castle to which Namine can be traced." Saïx says

Axel gasped in surprise and his eyes widened.

"The place where both Namine and Xion were born... Two of your favorite people. It's practically calling out for you. Do you still think another visit is a waste of time?" Saïx says

"Hmph. Whatever. As far as the castle goes, you're the one who really wants to go there. By finding the room that Xemnas is searching for... You would find out everything about Xemnas' true agenda. Am I right?" Axel says

"The Chamber of Repose as well as the Chamber of Waking..." Saïx says

Saïx looks out the window past Axel, gazing out at Kingdom Hearts as it floated in the dark sky.

"Xemnas has an agenda that he hasn't told to anybody. And we are bound to find some clues in the Chamber of Waking." Saïx says

Saïx crosses his arms.

"And once we obtain those clues, we'll have the upper hand for our own objectives." Saïx says

"Hmm... I knew the time would come when Vexen and Zexion got in your way. That's why I took the initiative..." Axel says

Axel stood up from his bed.

"...and cleared the way to the top for you. I can handle all the dirty work. And you go all the way to the top." Axel says

"You will be going on a solo mission to Castle Oblivion. Expect the orders soon." Saïx says

With that, Saïx took his leave. Axel just stood there and thought about what he just heard.

 _"Castle Oblivion... Namine... and Xion..."_ Axel thought to himself.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon and Roxas walked into the Grey Area and looked around. They saw Demyx, Xigbar, and Saix in the room, but did not see Xion or Axel anywhere.

"Where's Xion and Axel?" Roxas asks

"Obviously, not here." Draxon says

The two boys looked over at Demyx and Xigbar, who were talking with each other. They walked over and joined in on the conversation.

"Hey, guys, you missed your amigos. Team Axel already left." Demyx says

"Team Axel?" Roxas asks confused

"You mean Xion and Axel?" Draxon asks

"Yeah. They teamed up for the day. Which means they get to work half as hard. Which is totally unfair." Demyx says

"You'll be working with me today, Roxas. We get to explore a new world together." Xigbar says

Xigbar looks at Draxon.

"And Draxon, I hear you'll be exploring a new world too. Good luck." Xigbar says

"Thanks. I guess." Draxon says

"C'mon, Roxas. Let's get moving." Xigbar says

Xigbar stretched his left-hand out to his side, opening up a dark corridor. Once it was opened, Xigbar and Roxas headed inside and set off for the new world to begin their mission. Draxon watched them go, then went off to his own mission.

( _Olympus Coliseum_ )

Roxas and Xigbar walk out of the dark corridor and arrive at the Olympus Coliseum.

"All right. Let's make with the investigating and haul it back home." Xigbar says

"What are we investigating?" Roxas asks

"We're investigating what's to investigate. Maybe there's some new recruits around." Xigbar says

"New recruits? What kind of people does the Organization look for?" Roxas asks

"Nobodies." Xigbar says

"With a capital N?" Roxas says

"Bingo. You know somebody turns into a Heartless if the darkness gets into their hearts, right? Well, say this person's heart is strong. Real strong. Sometimes, you wind up with a sort of byproduct: a Nobody. Take the strongest of those, the real cream of the crop, stick 'em in a room, and you've got us: the Organization." Xigbar says

"I didn't know everybody was such an elite..." Roxas says looking down

"Heh heh... Elite? As if. You, Draxon, and Xion are the real exceptional ones." Xigbar says

"What?! Why?!" Roxas asks

Suddenly, a group of five Heartless appeared infront of the two Nobodies. Two of them were Flare Notes while the other three were Li'l Cannons.

"Uhp. Looks like conversation hour's over. Time to tidy up." Xigbar says

Roxas nodded his head in acknowledgement and summoned his Keyblade into his hands while Xigbar whipped out his Arrowguns.

One of the Li'l Cannons launched a bomb into the air. Roxas and Xigbar watched as the bomb hurdled down toward them, then quickly leapt out of the way to avoid being blasted by the explosive projectile. The bomb hits the ground where the two once stood and condenses into a medium-sized explosion on impact.

Roxas rushes at the Li'l Cannon and strikes it with a left-downward slash. He follows up with a right slash, a left slash, and a right-uppercut slash. The Li'l Cannon tried to blast Roxas with another bomb, but the young teen leaned his body over to the left, dodging the shot. He countered the attack and brought his Keyblade down on the Heartless, finishing it off.

Xigbar aims his Arrowguns at one of the Li'l Cannons and shoots six red laser arrows, landing multiple shots to the Heartless. He fires another shot through both his guns which destroys the Heartless. The third Li'l Cannon launches a bomb at Xigbar from the left side. Xigbar turns and looks at the incoming projectile with a smirk on his face. Just as the bomb was about to reach him, Xigbar quickly jumps into the air, dodging the bomb as it explodes on the ground where he once stood. Now hanging in mid-air, Xigbar combines his two Arrowguns into a sniper rifle, and takes aim at the Heartless. With his target in his sights, Xigbar fires his sniper rifle, shooting a powerful, large sphere of pink, white, and blue energy down at the Li'l Cannon, taking it out with one shot.

With the three Li'l Cannons defeated, all that remained were the two Flare Notes.

Roxas closes in on one of the Flare Notes and strikes with his Keyblade. He delivers a left slash to the Heartless' head, then follows up with a downward slash and a reverse roundhouse slash. The Flare Note attempts to swing it's trumpet head at Roxas, but the Keyblade Wielder leans over to the left and counters the attack with an overhead strike, chopping off the Heartless' head from it's body.

The other Flare Note that was close by spewed fire from it's trumpet at Roxas. The Keyblade Wielder turned his attention to the Heartless and leapt over to the right, dodging the flames. Skidding to a stop from his jump, Roxas pulls his right-arm back and hurls his Keyblade with a horizontal toss. The Keyblade flies through the air and slices the Flare Note in half with a clean hit.

The Heartless were defeated and everything was quiet again. That was until a voice spoke out.

"There you are! I've been waiting for you!" A male voice says

"Huh?" Roxas says

Roxas looked over to his left and saw Phil walking toward him.

"What took you so long!? I got everything set up! C'mon, hop to it. You wanna be a hero, and that takes time." Phil says

"What? But I'm-" Roxas says

"Here to train, I know! Save your breath, kid. You're gonna need it. By the way, nice moves back there. Herc told me you had potential. Gotta hand it to him, he's got an eye for talent! I don't coach just anybody, ya know. Hope you came ready to sweat, kid!" Phil says

"Um, no!? I think you've got the wrong guy. Xigbar, tell him-" Roxas says

Roxas turned to look at Xigbar, but he saw that he was gone.

"Wha!? Where'd you-?" Roxas says

"Your fighting's better than your standup routine, kid. Stick to what you know. You got a name?" Phil says

"Uh, Roxas."

"Okay, Roxas. I gotta double check the training equipment. Meet me inside the Coliseum when you're ready, and don't take all day!" Phil says

Phil went into the Coliseum to wait for Roxas while he stood where he was confused as to what just happened. Why did Phil think he was one of his trainees? And why wasn't Xigbar there supporting him?

"Wow, Roxas. Moonlighting as a wannabe hero now?" A familiar voice says

Roxas turned around and saw Xigbar standing behind him.

"Xigbar! Why'd you leave me like that?" Roxas asks

"To hide, duh! In case you forgot, the Organization runs a stealth operation." Xigbar says

"Well, yeah, but..." Roxas says looking down

"Still, this worked out pretty well, wouldn't you say?" Xigbar says

"How do you figure that?" Roxas asks

"You won't have to sneak about now that you're one of them. I'm sure you'll be the best wannabe hero they've ever had." Xigbar says

"Wannabe? What's that supposed to mean?" Roxas asks

"Heh, what indeed?" Xigbar says

Xigbar stretches his right-hand out to his side and he opens up a dark corridor.

"Hey, you're bailing on me?" Roxas asks surprised

"As if. I just don't want to get in the way of your valuable training. I care about your future, Roxas." Xigbar says

Having said that, Xigbar heads into the dark corridor, leaving Roxas by himself.

"Ugh, fine. I'll handle this myself. I should probably do some recon here first, before heading into the Coliseum." Roxas says

Now on his own, Roxas began his mission, scanning the area around him, taking in every detail. The first thing that caught his eye was the leaderboards on both sides of the stone double door leading out of the Coliseum. He went over and took a look at the large leaderboard to the left of the door.

"There's a bunch of names on the board with numbers next to them. I guess it's some kind of leaderboard?" Roxas says

Moving away from the leaderboard, Roxas looks upon the door infront of him.

"Columns around the door... This place could be some kind of temple? They use lightning bolts as symbols." Roxas says

Roxas continues his investigation to the three leaderboards on the right side of the door. Standing infront of them, he examines the one in the middle.

"Another leaderboard. First place: _"Sora."_ Hunh." Roxas says

He then reads the next one on the right.

"And another one. _"Hercules."_ Hmm." Roxas says

Roxas looks at each of the leaderboards and wondered why they were in the Coliseum.

"What are all these leaderboards for?" Roxas asks

Moving on, Roxas looks out the tall rectangular windows on the side, gazing out at the clouds in wonder and bewilderment.

"Those are clouds right outside these windows! Where is this place!?" Roxas says

Finally, Roxas turns and looks at the building that stood before him, gazing up at the two gladiator statues that stood at the entrance.

"The statues, the architecture... Everything about this place is amazing." Roxas says

Having examined everything outside, Roxas headed inside to continue his recon. He walked into the Coliseum Lobby and scanned the room. He saw four trophies, two on both sides of the room standing in rectangular spaces with a single burning braizer standing in-between them.

 _"I think I've got enough here to make out of this world. The Coliseum must be some kind of arena."_ Roxas thought to himself

Roxas glanced around at the trophies that were on the sides.

 _"That would explain all the trophies. They all look like something you'd win in a sporting event."_ Roxas thought to himself

As he made his assessment, Roxas remembered about the leaderboards outside. Images of them flashed through his mind.

 _"And those boards outside... Those must be the winners."_ Roxas thought to himself

Roxas put his hand to his chin as he thought about the names he saw on the leaderboard.

 _"Who was it that came in first? Hercules? He must be the toughest guy in town. Wonder what he's like..."_ Roxas thought to himself

The Keyblade Wielder soon realized that he didn't hear anything from the Coliseum since his arrival. Usually, arenas were full of noises like the cheering of spectators, yet it was unusually quiet.

 _"Seems kind of quiet for an arena. I don't hear any cheering. The competition must be over for now. If I'm gonna do anymore recon, I'll have to pretend I'm training here. I guess it couldn't hurt to try."_ Roxas thought to himself

"You done taking in the sights, kid?" A voice asks

Roxas looks over to the other doorway and saw Phil walking in.

"Let's get on with it already! C'mon! Time for some training!" Phil says

Roxas followed Phil into the doorway and the two of them entered the arena. From there, the young teen got a good look at the arena. On both sides were the stands where spectators would sit and watch the competition. Across from him on the other side was a metal bar gate which was where the opponents would come out of. And in the center was the ring which had a tall stone column on each of it's four corners with a burning braizer at the top. Roxas looked at the square ring and saw a several barrels standing around.

"Okay, Roxas. Here's the drill." Phil says

Phil points to the barrels in the ring.

"I want you to smash as much of these barrels as fast as you can." Phil says

Phil turns to look at Roxas and points a finger at him.

"You got one minute. You hear that? One! Now, get to it." Phil says

Roxas nodded his head in acknowledgement and he stepped forward into the ring, summoning his Keyblade. He got into battle stance and awaited Phil's signal to start. He didn't have long to wait.

"Go!" Phil says

With that, the training exercise began. Roxas rushed forward at the barrel infront of him and hit it with lunging strike. He then sent it flying with a right slash. The barrel bounced off the ground and hit another barrel. Both were smashed to pieces. Roxas leapt forward at another barrel, raising his Keyblade over his shoulder, and smashed it with one strike. Moving on to the next barrel, Roxas dashes toward it with a right slash, then sent it into the air with an uppercut slash. The barrel soared through the air and hit the ground, breaking upon impact.

The Keyblade Wielder moved from barrel to barrel, smashing each one as fast as he could within the time limit he had. Each of the barrels were slightly small and empty which made smashing them quite easy. One by one, the barrels were sent flying through the air into other barrels, breaking into pieces upon impact. The ring was being littered with broken barrels as Roxas went on with the training. The exercise went on for the remainder of the minute until Phil called it.

"Time!" Phil says

Roxas de-summoned his Keyblade and bent over resting his hands on his knees, feeling exhausted. There were only five barrels left in the ring after the exercise. Phil walked over to Roxas, satisfied with what he had seen.

"Not bad, kid. Not bad at all. Let's call it a day. Not too shabby for your first time in the Coliseum. Keep up this pace, and you'll do just fine. Which is good, because we'll need all the help we can get..." Phil says

"Help with what? Why are you looking for new people to train here, anyway?" Roxas asks

"I guess you could say we're understaffed." Phil says

Roxas was a bit surprised when he heard that. The Coliseum was low on staff and Phil was recruiting. It was almost something similar to what Xigbar said when he and Roxas came here. Since the other members were wiped out, there was only him, Draxon, Axel, Xion, and the other remaining members. Like Phil, the Organization was looking to recruit new members to fill the gaps the other members left open.

"So there aren't any strong people around here?" Roxas asks

"What are you crazy!? We got ourselves a bona fide hero! The champ in these parts is my prize student. Maybe you've seen him in the Coliseum before?" Phil says

"What does he do here?" Roxas asks

"Wait, are you sayin' you signed up for hero training without even knowing what the Games are!?" Phil says surprised

Phil places his hand on the temple of his head.

"Oy... Lemme break it down easy for ya, kid. There's a hero and a ginormous monster..." Phil says

Roxas and Phil look over to the trophies on the stand to the left side of the entrance.

"They fight, and people come to watch. That's what this whole place is for! At least until those Heartless start showin' up in droves. With back-to-back matches in the Games and taking out the Heartless, our champ's been workin' way too much." Phil says

"So the Games are like a tournament? Do I get to enter?" Roxas asks

"You? In the Games!? Ahh ha ha ha!" Phil laughs

"What's so funny?" Roxas asks slightly annoyed

Phil held up two fingers.

"I got two words for you, kid. Outta. Your. League. You got promise, I'll give you that. But you'll need a lot more training before you're ready for the big time. Anyways, take care of yourself, kid. I've got someplace to be." Phil says

With that, Phil took off to his own business, leaving Roxas in the lobby.

 _"So that's what this place is for: some kind of "Games." There were stands all around the arena. People must come to watch. I wonder if Phil would let me compete if I kept up with the training. Either way, I've had a pretty good look around. I'd better RTC."_ Roxas thought to himself

And so, having completed his mission, Roxas headed out of the Olympus Coliseum. On his way out, he passed Hercules, who was making his way into the Coliseum to meet up with Phil.

"Hey, Phil! I'm back!" Hercules says

"It's about time, Herc. That new trainee you scouted showed up already." Phil says

"Really? Wow. He said it would take him awhile to get here. He must've made record time!" Hercules says

"He probably couldn't wait to start training with yours truly. Not that I can blame him. The kid's got guts, I'll give him that. Wait'll you hear this..." Phil says

( _Lumiose City_ )

It was daytime in Lumiose City and everything was peaceful. People and Pokémon were walking through the city, enjoying their everyday lives. Trainers along with their Pokémon sat at some of the cafes to relax while others took a stroll down the streets. A flock of Pidgey flew above the city, chirping happily with their voices.

Draxon walks out of the dark corridor and arrives in Lumiose City in the Kalos Region. The young teen looked around and noticed that he was in an alley, which was surprisingly clean. He turned around and looked upon a dead end which was a stone wall. Turning back, he saw a paved street just ahead of him. Curious as to know what world he was in, Draxon walked out of the alley and into the street. What he saw captured his imagination.

"Whoa." Draxon gasps

Draxon stood in wonder at the sights around him. There were buildings lining up along the streets with different colored roofs, small garden areas that had flowers and trees planted in, even a cafe here and there. The setting was very much like city.

"This world is amazing." Draxon says

The Keyblade Wielder was able to see a few people walking along the streets. But he was not prepared for what he saw next. Looking down one way of the street, Draxon saw three young teenagers like him, two boys and one girl, sitting around a metal table at a cafe with three different looking creatures sitting in their laps. They were the three starter Pokemon from the Kanto region. The two boys both had Charmander and Squirtle while the girl had a Bulbasaur. Draxon looked at the Pokémon, confused as to what they were.

"What are those things? They don't look like Heartless." Draxon says

Draxon walked further down the street and saw more people and even more Pokémon. He looked over to his left and saw a young boy running along the sidewalk with his Eevee by his side, both full of happiness. To his right, he saw a teenage girl with a Butterfree perched on her right-arm. Even as he walked along the street, the Keyblade Wielder saw a few Fletchlings perched up in some trees, some watching him curiously.

Reaching the street, Draxon came onto a canal which had an arch bridge that went over to the other side, leading to another street. Looking down at the canal, he saw some Azurill and a few of it's evolved form, Marill. There was even Finneon, Poliwag, and Politoed swimming around. Each of the Pokémon watched as Draxon crossed over them ontop of the bridge while he looked down at them.

"What kind of world is this? There's all sorts of creatures everywhere." Draxon asks

Moving further into the city, the Keyblade Wielder caught sight of even more Pokémon. Heading through a small park area, he saw some humans, mostly young kids and teenagers, interacting with some Caterpie and Wurmple, watching the cute bug-type Pokémon crawl along their arms, even nuzzling up against their faces with happy expressions. Looking off in another direction, Draxon saw Rattata, Zigzagoon, Nidoran, Sentret, Furret, and Pachirisu scurrying around. Some of the Pokémon observed him with curious eyes as he passed by. Looking at the trees, he saw some Pidgey, Taillow, and Swablu perched up on some branches.

Now back out in the street, Draxon saw more trainers and their Pokémon. On one side of the street, he saw a young teenage girl petting her Ekans, rubbing it's head while it looked content. Glancing over to the other side, he saw another teenager, a boy, kneeling down feeding his Raichu some Pokémon food. The mouse Pokémon ate the food happily and thanked it's trainer with it's voice while he smiled.

"Well, whatever these creatures are, the people here seem real happy having them around." Draxon says

Then, he looked off and saw Prism Tower standing high above the other buildings in the city.

"Wow. That's pretty tall tower. Maybe I can get a better view of this city from there." Draxon says

Suddenly, some screaming came from another street to Draxon's right, immediately catching his attention. It wasn't long before several people along with some Pokémon came running from that street.

"Help! Someone call Officer Jenny! There's monsters in the park!" A man screams

The Keyblade Wielder watched as both people and Pokémon ran past him, then turn back to the street they came out of. There was only one explanation for why they were running away. If he had the guess, the monsters in the park had to be Heartless. Now wanting to investigate, Draxon rushes off into the street, following it to the park where the Heartless surely were.

Elsewhere in Lumiose City, Prof. Sycamore was enjoying his break from his research on Mega Evolution with Garchomp, one of the Pokémon that lived with him in his lab. He was sitting on a green wooden bench with one leg over the other with Garchomp by his side in another park not far from where the Heartless had been surfaced.

"Ah. Such a nice, beautiful day, don't you think, Garchomp?" Prof. Sycamore says

"Gar." Garchomp growls calmly

"Yeah. The weather sure is lovely today. A perfect time to take a stroll through the city. All that time studying Mega Evolution can be real exhausting work." Prof. Sycamore says

The two were enjoying the moment they were having. That was until they heard screaming coming from their left. Prof. Sycamore and Garchomp both looked off in the direction of the screams and saw several people and Pokémon running past them, away from something.

"Huh?! What's going on?!" Prof. Sycamore asks in surprise

"Monsters! In the park!" A woman screams

"They're too strong!" A man screams

"Get Officer Jenny!" Another man screams

Prof. Sycamore and Garchomp watched as the people and Pokémon fled, then turn to look back at the direction where they came from. Both human and Pokémon looked toward each other with determination in their eyes and their hearts were no doubt full of courage.

"C'mon, Garchomp! Let's go check it out!" Prof. Sycamore says

"Garchomp!" Garchomp growls in agreement

Willing to help stop whatever was attacking the city, Prof. Sycamore and Garchomp rushed to give their aid to the people and the Pokémon.

Draxon was the first to arrive on the scene. When he got there, he saw a large group of Neoshadows terrorizing the park along with the people and the Pokémon that were in it. Looking off to left, he noticed a young boy, his mother, and their Growlithe were cornered against a tree by three Neoshadows who were closing on them. He also saw two teenagers, a boy who's name was Ryan, and a girl who's name was Brenda, making their stand against two Neoshadows with their Charizard and Bayleef.

Ryan was a handsome young man with a kind, gentle personality, but he was also brave and courageous when the situation demands it. He had loved Pokémon his entire life and has always strived to train and become a Pokémon Master.

He had short dark brown hair and dark hazelnut eyes.

Ryan wore a grey camoflauge pattern t-shirt, dark blue jeans, and black shoes. He also carried a black backpack.

Brenda was a beautiful young lady with a heart full of love and compasssion, and is Ryan's girlfriend. She is not afraid to stand up for those who she loves and will fight to protect them from harm. Like her boyfriend, she too loves Pokémon and strives to become a Pokémon Master.

She had long, brown hair, beautiful aquamarine eyes, and a slim body shape.

Brenda wore a light pink tank top, light blue jeans, and white shoes.

Summoning his Keyblade: Soul Calibur into his right-hand, Draxon decided to help the young boy, the mother, and the Growlithe first since the two teenagers seemed capable of handling the Heartless on their own. Draxon leapt forward at the Neoshadow in the center, which was closest to the family, raised his Keyblade over his head, and struck it down with a downward slash, making the Heartless disintegrate. The two humans and Growlithe looked up and watched in amazement as Draxon rose up.

Turning around, Draxon focused his attention on the other two Neoshadows as they both attacked in unison. One of them swiped it's claws at Draxon, but he ducked down and leaned his body to the right, dodging the blow. He then counters and slices the Heartless into oblivion with a left slash. The other Neoshadow took a swipe at Draxon only to have him duck down and slice it in half with a right slash.

After dealing with the Heartless, Draxon looked back over his right-shoulder at the two humans and their Growlithe.

"Go! Get to safety! I'll take care of this!" Draxon says

"Thank you!" The mother says with deep gratitude

The young boy, his mother, and their Growlithe fled the park, heading out to safety. Draxon looked over at the two teens and their Pokémon and watched as they fought the Heartless.

"Charizard, use Dragon Tail!" Ryan commands

Charizard rushes forward at the Neoshadows with it's tail glowing with a green, scale-like aura. Within moments, Charizard slams it's tail into the Heartless with a mighty roar, smashing it into oblivion.

"Bayleef, use Headbutt!" Brenda commands

Bayleef charges at one of the Neoshadows and rams it's head into it.

"Bay-leef!" Bayleef says ramming it's head into the Heartless

The Neoshadow was sent flying backwards after recieving the strong blow and it smashes into a nearby tree, disintegrating in a puff of black smoke upon impact.

Having dealt with the two Heartless, Charizard and Bayleef along with their trainers focused on the rest of them as more stalked toward them. There was no doubt that these two trainers had a strong relationship with their Pokémon and had trained them well, but they were not prepared for what came next. One of the Neoshadows sunk into the ground through a dark portal, disappearing out of sight. Both trainers and Pokémon were left baffled. They had no idea of knowing where the Heartless would reappear.

"Where'd it go?" Brenda asks

Suddenly, the Neoshadow leaps out from the dark portal infront of the two Pokémon, much to their shock. In that moment, the Heartless swung it's claws at Charizard, landing a hit across it's chest. Charizard roars out in pain

"Ah! Charizard!" Ryan cries out

The Neoshadow then struck Bayleef with a spinning kick, using both legs to knock the Pokémon back, landing a hit to it's head.

"Bayleef!" Bayleef cries out in pain

"No! Bayleef!" Brenda cries out

Both Pokémon were knocked back by the attacks they recieved from the Heartless and were strong enough to leave them weakened. The two trainers rushed over to their Pokémon and held them in their arms.

"Charizard, are you okay?" Ryan asks worried

Charizard opened it's eyes and weakly looked up at it's trainer, letting out low growl.

"Bayleef, are you alright?" Brenda asks worried

Bayleef lifted it's head up and opened it's eyes, weakly responding to it's trainer.

"Bay... Bay..." Bayleef says weakly

Both trainers and Pokémon looked back at the five Neoshadows as they stalked toward them. They shut their eyes as they braced themselves for the end. Before the Heartless could strike, a crystal Keyblade spins through their air, enveloped in a shining blue light, cutting through each of the Heartless in one sweep, making them disintegrate. Feeling nothing had happened, the trainers and Pokémon slowly opened their eyes and saw that the Neoshadows were gone. Glancing over to their right, they saw Draxon catch his Keyblade in his right-hand and walk toward them.

"Are you guys alright?" Draxon asks

"Yeah. We're fine." Ryan says

"Thanks for the save. We appreciate it." Brenda says

Charizard nodded it's head to Draxon, letting out a gentle growl and Bayleef nodded it's head with it's voice.

"Bay." Bayleef says nodding it's head

Draxon turned around and saw more Neoshadows approaching them.

"You guys go! I've got this!" Draxon says

"No! We want to fight!" Ryan says

"That's right! We won't let these monsters run rampant in Lumiose City! We need to defend it!" Brenda says

"They need you more right now." Draxon says looking back at Charizard and Bayleef

The two trainers looked at their Pokémon while they looked back at them. They shared glances with each other, then looked up at Draxon as he stood ready to fight the Neoshadows. Both Charizard and Bayleef were still weak from the Heartless' attacks and were in no condition to fight. They needed to be brought to the Pokémon Center so they could heal. And so, the two teenage trainers fled the area with their Pokémon, leaving Draxon to contend with the Heartless.

Draxon rushes forward at a Neoshadow in his view and hits it with a thrusting strike, taking it out on the spot. Afterwards, he moves on to the next Heartless, continuing his assault. Draxon strikes the Neoshadow with a downward slash, then knocks it into the air with an uppercut slash. From there, Draxon pulls his arm back and hurls his Keyblade up at the Heartless with a horizontal toss, slicing it in half across it's body. The Keyblade flies through the air and back around, returning to it's wielder as he catches it in his right-hand.

Suddenly, Draxon heard a scream which caught his attention. Looking to his right, he saw a young girl, who looked to be at least seven years old, cowering in fear with her Shinx in her arms as a Neoshadow stalked toward them. The Keyblade Wielder was about to run over to help when he heard a voice yell out a command that made him stop in his tracks.

"Garchomp, use Dragon Claw!" A male voice commands

Draxon turned around and watched as a Garchomp flew over his head with it's triangular fins glowing with blue light, heading straight toward the Neoshadow that was terrorizing the little girl and her Shinx.

"Gar-chomp!" Garchomp roars using it's attack

With a mighty roar, Garchomp slices the Neoshadow diagonally in half, causing it to disintigrate in a puff of black smoke. The young child and her Shinx both had their eyes closed, but they soon opened them and looked up at Garchomp in amazement as it stood over them. Draxon was about to move when he heard footsteps coming from behind him. Turning around, he saw Prof. Sycamore run past him over to Garchomp, the little girl, and her Shinx. First, he approached his Garchomp and rubbed it's head.

"Nice work, Garchomp." Prof. Sycamore says

"Gar." Garchomp growls calmly

Then, Prof. Sycamore checks on the young girl and her Shinx, kneeling down to their level.

"Are you alright? That monster didn't hurt you, did it?" Prof. Sycamore asks

"I'm okay." The girl says

"Shinx! Shinx!" Shinx says thanking the Pokemon Researcher and Garchomp for saving them with it's voice

"What's your name?" Prof. Sycamore asks

"My name's Jill."

"Jill, what happened? Where are your parents?" Prof. Sycamore asks

The young girl looked down as she remembered the events that happened minutes before.

( _Flashback_ )

Several minutes before the Heartless attack, Jill was with her mother and father going for a nice stroll through the park with their Shinx. The park was full of people and Pokémon of all sorts. Everyone was happy.

 _"Me and Shinx were with my mommy and daddy, taking a walk in the park. We were all very happy."_ Jill says

The peace the people and Pokemon were having was soon interrupted by the appearance of Neoshadows. Each of them rose up from the darkness, making the people and Pokemon scream and flee in terror.

 _"But then those black monsters showed up and started scaring everyone."_ Jill says

The little girl got seperated from her mother and father in the midst of the chaos, leaving her all alone with her Shinx.

 _"I got separated from my mommy and daddy and was left all by myself."_ Jill says

( _Present time_ )

"All those black monsters. I was so scared. I didn't know what to do." Jill says almost on the verge of tears

"Shinx." Shinx says feeling concerned for the young girl

Prof. Sycamore places his right-hand under the child's shoulder, catching her attention.

"Don't worry. You'll be safe with us. Me and Garchomp will help find your parents." Prof. Sycamore says smiling

The little girl and Shinx both looked at the Pokémon Researcher with happy expressions upon hearing that. Both of them were filled with renewed hope.

"Really? Thank you!" Jill says

"Shinx! Shinx!" Shinx says feeling happy

Suddenly, the moment was ruined by the sight of eight Neoshadows which emerged from dark portals in the ground. The young girl and Shinx were both scared again, but not as much now that Prof. Sycamore and Garchomp were protecting them. The Pokémon Researcher rose back up on his feet and stood alongside Garchomp as they faced the Heartless.

"Get behind us." Prof. Sycamore says

The small child and her Shinx got up on their feet and moved behind Prof. Sycamore and Garchomp as the Neoshadows slowly stalked towards them.

"Here they come." Prof. Sycamore says

The Pokémon Researcher looks at Garchomp with a determined expression.

"You ready, Garchomp?" Prof. Sycamore asks

"Gar!" Garchomp growls nodding it's head

The two looked back at the Heartless and stood fast, ready to fight the dark creatures. One of the Neoshadows makes it's move and leaps forward with it's claws ready to attack. But before Prof. Sycamore and Garchomp could do anything, Soul Calibur flies over their heads enveloped in blue light, spinning through the air toward the attacking Heartless. The Keyblade slices through the Neoshadow, splitting it in half across it's body. Prof. Sycamore, Garchomp, the young girl, and Shinx watch in amazement as the Heartless disappears. Then, they saw Draxon drop down and land infront of them, kneeling down on one knee. The Keyblade flies back around and returns to Draxon, who catches it in his right-hand behind his back. Draxon rises up on his feet, and stands up straight. He holds his Keyblade up to his face with just his right-hand, then brings it down to his right-side.

"Huh? Who's that?" Prof. Sycamore says

As he stared at the young teen, the Pokémon Researcher noticed the glowing Keyblade in his hand and he couldn't help but stare in wonder.

"Wait... In his hand. Is that what I think it is?" Prof. Sycamore says

Prof. Sycamore had heard of an ancient weapon called a Keyblade before from Ash Ketchum, but he wasn't sure if it was the same weapon Draxon had in his hand.

The Neoshadows all ran towards Draxon, focusing their attention on him. Draxon ran full speed toward the Heartless while Prof. Sycamore, Garchomp, the young girl, and her Shinx watched.

"Well, I'm glad he's on our side." Prof. Sycamore says smiling

Draxon struck the first Neoshadow in his view with a roundhouse slash, slicing it's head off, then moved onto the next Heartless, cutting it down with a reverse roundhouse slash. One Neoshadow swung it's claws at Draxon, but he leaned over to the left and countered with a kick to it's chest using his right-leg followed by an uppercut slash, which knocks the Heartless off the ground. He then spins his Keyblade around and brings it down on the Neoshadow while it was in mid-air, striking it back into the ground, making it disappear in a puff of black smoke.

Prof. Sycamore watched in amazement as he watched Draxon flawlessly defeat each Heartless that stood against him. But he was even more amazed with what he saw next.

One of the Neoshadows leapt at Draxon and swiped it's claws at him. The young teen jumped back and swung his Keyblade with a right slash, launching blue electric bolts at the Heartless. The Neoshadow was instantly vaporized by the magic attack. Moving on to the next Heartless, Draxon swings his Keyblade again, this time launching an ice blast to freeze the Neoshadow in it's tracks. With his target now frozen, Draxon rushes forward, raises his Keyblade over his right-shoulder, and smashes the Heartless to pieces.

With seven Neoshadows down, only one remained. The last Neoshadow sunk into a dark portal into the ground and disappeared. Draxon stood fast and braced himself, knowing that the Heartless could come at him from everywhere. As the young teen looked around, the same dark portal formed up behind him. And from that portal emerged the Neoshadow, leaping out with it's claws ready to strike. Draxon's eyes darted to the left as he felt the Heartless' presence. Just before the Neoshadow could move on with it's attack, Draxon gripped his Keyblade with both hands, whirled around, and slashed the Heartless into oblivion, finishing the fight.

All of the Heartless were defeated and the park was peaceful again. Prof. Sycamore was left standing in awe by what he observed. He had seen everything in his life as a Pokémon Researcher, but to actually watch a Keyblade Wielder fight was truly amazing. Everything he heard about the Keyblade was true.

"That was a Keyblade! Incredible!" Prof. Sycamore gasps in amazement

Draxon rose up and stood up straight, still holding his Keyblade in his right-hand.

"That's it for the Heartless." Draxon says

The young teen heard footsteps behind him. Turning around, he saw Prof. Sycamore and Garchomp approach him.

"That was some impressive fighting. You sure made short work of those monsters." Prof. Sycamore says

Prof. Sycamore looks left at Garchomp.

"Wouldn't you agree, Garchomp?" Prof. Sycamore asks

"Gar!" Garchomp growls calmly

"Uh, thanks." Draxon says

"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Professor Sycamore, a Pokémon Researcher here in Kalos."

Draxon was confused as to what Prof. Sycamore said since he had no idea what Pokémon were, but he introduced himself in turn.

"I'm Draxon."

"Nice to meet you, Draxon." Prof. Sycamore says nodding his head

The Pokémon Researcher looks down at Draxon's Keyblade.

"That weapon in your hand. It wouldn't happen to be a Keyblade, would it?" Prof. Sycamore asks

Draxon looks down at his Keyblade, surprised that Prof. Sycamore knew what it was.

"You know about the Keyblade? How?" Draxon asks

"I heard about it from a friend of mine. A Pokémon Trainer named Ash." Prof. Sycamore says

Again, Draxon was left confused upon hearing the name Pokémon.

"Uh, what exactly are Pokémon?" Draxon asks

Prof. Sycamore was surprised as to Draxon's question. The young teen had no idea what Pokémon were.

"You don't know what Pokémon are?" Prof. Sycamore asks

"No. I guess you could say I'm new around here." Draxon asks

"Hmm. I see. Well, Pokémon are creatures that inhabit this world and live alongside humans." Prof. Sycamore says

Even though the park was quiet, there were still some Pokémon around that had hidden themselves from the Heartless. Some Furret, Rattata, Nidoran, and Zigzagoon came out from nearby bushes and observed Draxon curiously. Some Bug-type Pokémon like Caterpie, Wurmple, Spinarak, Sewaddle, and Joltik crawled out of their hiding places in the trees to get a look at Draxon. And even some Flying-type Pokémon like Pidgey, Pidove, Swablu, and Fletchling flew in and landed in some of the trees and looked down at the Keyblade Wielder, watching him curiously. Draxon looked around at all the Pokémon as they were all coming out into view. Prof. Sycamore saw them as well and noticed how they were all watching Draxon.

"Huh. Seems like the Pokémon are all taking a liking to you. I think they know that you saved them." Prof. Sycamore says

Prof. Sycamore continues his explanation on what Pokémon were.

"Well, as you can see, Pokémon come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and types." Prof. Sycamore says

Prof. Sycamore places his right-hand on Garchomp's head and rubs it gently while gesturing to it with his other hand. Garchomp closes it's eyes and smiled upon feeling the kind human's touch.

"Take Garchomp for example. She's a Dragon and Ground-type Pokémon." Prof. Sycamore says

"Gar." Garchomp growls calmly

"People in this world have strong relationships with Pokémon. Most people strive to become what we call Pokémon Trainers." Prof. Sycamore says

"Pokémon Trainers?" Draxon asks

"People who capture and train Pokémon to battle other trainers and their Pokémon. It's sort of like a challenge. My friend, Ash is working to become a Pokémon Master, which is the ultimate goal for every Pokémon Trainer. He's a really great trainer. You should meet him." Prof. Sycamore says

"I would very much like to. He sounds nice." Draxon says nodding his head in agreement

Ash. A Pokémon Trainer who strives to become a Pokémon Master. Draxon felt like he heard that name before, but he had no idea why. Shrugging it off, Draxon asked the Pokémon Researcher more about Pokémon.

"So, is that all people do with Pokémon? Just to train them to fight?" Draxon asks

"Well, not really. Some people study Pokémon to learn everything there is to know about them." Prof. Sycamore says

Prof. Sycamore places his right-hand to his chest, gesturing to himself.

"Like me. I'm a Pokémon Researcher that studies their behavior, but my field of study is on Mega Evolution." Prof. Sycamore says

"Mega Evolution?" Draxon asks

"We'll get back to that later." Prof. Sycamore says waving it off

Prof. Sycamore returns to his explanation.

"While some people strive to become Pokémon Trainers, some people choose to just simply live in harmony alongside Pokémon." Prof. Sycamore says

The Pokémon Researcher looks down at the small child and her Shinx.

"Like this young girl and her Shinx, which is an Electric-type Pokémon." Prof. Sycamore says smiling

Jill smiles and so does Shinx.

"Well, I think we've kept this little girl from her family long enough. What say we continue this later. I'd be happy to answer any more questions once we're back at my lab." Prof. Sycamore says

"Sure. Let's go. I've been wanting to see more of this city." Draxon says

Draxon de-summoned his Keyblade and followed Prof. Sycamore and Garchomp as they went to reunite the young girl with her family. Unknown to them, a mysterious Pokémon was watching them from the skies above. This was the Legendary Pokémon, Mew. The small, cat-like Pokémon had seen the whole fight with the Heartless and it's eyes were set on Draxon. At first glance, Draxon looked so much like Devon that Mew thought it was him. Feeling curious and excited, Mew continued to follow Draxon from the sky.

( _Moments later_ )

The Pokémon Center in South Boulevard of Lumiose City was full of people and Pokémon who had fled from the park. A couple of them were trainers, including the two teenagers that Draxon had saved earlier. They were sitting down on some leather benches, taking care of their two Pokémon, Charizard and Bayleef, who were now fully healed. The mother, her son, and the Growlithe were also at the Pokémon Center, sitting on some benches taking a moment to relax and calm themselves from their ordeal with the Heartless. But on one side of the lobby, Jill's parents were both talking to Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny about their daughter who they believed was still at the park.

"Officer Jenny, please! Our daughter is still at the park! You have to help us!" Jill's father begs

"Okay, sir. Please calm down. I'll try and get a team together to go get your daughter." Officer Jenny says

"That's not good enough! Those things are still out there! We need to go now!" Jill's father shouts

"Please! I-" Officer Jenney says

Suddenly, the group heard the door to the Pokémon Center open. Turning their attention toward the entrance, they saw Draxon, Prof. Sycamore, Garchomp, the young girl, and her Shinx coming inside.

"Prof. Sycamore? What are you doing here?" Officer Jenny asks

"It's alright. We're just bringing this young girl back to her family." Prof. Sycamore says

The young girl and her Shinx step out from behind Prof. Sycamore, revealing that she was safe and sound. Both her parents gasped in surprise.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Jill exclaims

"Oh, sweetheart!" Jill's mother exclaims

The child runs over to her mother, who quickly embraces her daughter in her arms, crying in tears of sweet relief. Draxon, Prof. Sycamore, and Garchomp walk over to the family, Nurse Joy, and Officer Jenny.

"What happened? Is the park safe?" Officer Jenny asks

"Don't worry. The park is safe again. Those monsters are gone." Prof. Sycamore says

"Oh, that's good. What a relief." Nurse Joy says

Jill's father walks over to the Pokémon Researcher and shakes his hand, showing his gratitude.

"Thank you for saving our daughter, Prof. Sycamore." Jill's father thanks

"You don't have to thank me." Prof. Sycamore says

The Pokémon Researcher looks over to Draxon who stood on his left.

"You should be thanking him. He's the one who took care of those monsters. His name's Draxon. I met him in the park." Prof. Sycamore says

The man turns his head at Draxon and looks him over. He was a bit surprised to hear that this young man had actually saved his daughter, but nontheless, he expressed his humble gratitude to the Keyblade Wielder.

"Thank you, Draxon. My daughter really means a lot to me and my wife. I'm very grateful for your bravery." Jill's father says

Draxon nods his head to the father. Officer Jenny walks over to Draxon and extends her right-hand out to him. The young teen stared at her for a second, but shook her hand.

"Draxon, a lot of people and Pokémon here owe you a debt of gratitude. You came to their aid when they were in danger. And you stopped those monsters from spreading throughout the city. For that, I thank you." Officer Jenny says

Draxon smiles and nods his head.

"It's no problem. I'm glad I was here to help." Draxon says

"Believe it or not, Draxon's a Keyblade Wielder." Prof. Sycamore says

Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny were both surprised to hear this. Even the people and Pokémon who were in the lobby was surprised by what they heard and they all stared at Draxon.

"What? He's a Keyblade Wielder?" Officer Jenny asks

"Yep. And a strong one too." Prof. Sycamore says

Draxon looked back and forth between the Pokémon Researcher, Nurse Joy, and Officer Jenny.

"Uh, wait a minute. You've heard of the Keyblade too?" Draxon asks looking at Officer Jenny

"Yes. A Keyblade Wielder saved the entire world from being destroyed not so long ago. News of him spread everywhere. It was unbelievable what happened." Officer Jenny says

The young teen pondered as to who this Keyblade Wielder was. Was it Devon, the same boy he heard who saved Berk? Or was it someone else?

"I suppose you've heard about the Heartless too, huh?" Draxon says

"Yes. We heard about them, though we haven't seen them much here in Kalos. They were first reported in the Kanto region, but then they began to spread to the other regions." Officer Jenny says

Draxon was surprised by what he heard. There were other regions that had Pokémon other than Kalos? He wondered about what Officer Jenny meant, but decided he would ask Prof. Sycamore about it later.

"That was when the Keyblade Wielder arrived and made things safe again. There hasn't been much activity after that, but now it seems they're appearing again, causing more trouble." Officer Jenny says

"Well, if you see anymore Heartless around, make sure the people and Pokémon get to safety. I'll come around and see to it they don't cause any trouble." Draxon says

"Thank you, Draxon. We really appreciate it. I'll get word out to the rest of Kalos. If any Heartless do show up, I'll be sure to tell Prof. Sycamore so he can tell you since the two of you are already good friends." Officer Jenny says

"And I'll make sure the other regions know. In the meantime, why don't you come with me back to my lab, Draxon. I'm sure you've got a lot of questions to ask." Prof. Sycamore says

"Yes I do." Draxon says

Having said farewell to Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny, Draxon left the Pokémon Center with Prof. Sycamore, following him back to his lab.

( _Moments later_ )

Prof. Sycamore returned to his lab, which was also in South Boulevard, with his new friend, Draxon. They both sat in two long sofas with a long glass table in a room with Garchomp standing nearby next to a greenhouse area where the Keyblade Wielder saw all the Pokémon that Prof. Sycamore had in his care. He saw an Azurill along with it's evolved form, Marill, three Combee, a Helioptile, a Caterpie, a Weedle, a Psyduck, a Zigzagoon, and it's evolved form, Linoone. After gazing at the Pokémon as they enjoyed themselves, Draxon went on to ask Prof. Sycamore his questions.

"So tell me, Prof. Sycamore, what more can you tell me about the Pokémon that live here? They seem to be very friendly among other people." Draxon says

"That's true. Pokémon are very friendly creatures. They've been getting along with humans for as long as they've been around. Even in ancient times, people developed strong relationships with Pokémon." Prof. Sycamore says

"Wow. So Pokémon have been around since the beginning of time?" Draxon says

"Yep. That's right." Prof. Sycamore says

"Amazing." Draxon says

Draxon soon remembered what Officer Jenny said about the other regions like Kanto.

"I remember Officer Jenny said that the Heartless were first spotted in Kanto. Are there other regions besides Kalos?" Draxon asks

"Yep. There's Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, and Alola." Prof. Sycamore says counting off his fingers

"Seven regions? This world sounds to be pretty big. It would really take me a long time to explore the other regions, let alone Kalos." Draxon says

"Mm-hmm. Our world certaintly is big with all kinds of Pokémon." Prof. Sycamore says

"I've seen a lot of Pokémon so far, but do you know exactly how many there are?" Draxon says

"Well, so far, there are exactly 807 known species of Pokémon out there." Prof. Sycamore says

Draxon was shocked by what he just heard.

"Whoa! 807?! That's really a lot of Pokémon!" Draxon exclaims

"Yeah. And I'm sure there are still plenty more Pokémon out there just waiting to be discovered. That's what Pokémon Research is for." Prof. Sycamore says

"Oh, I remember you mentioned something about Mega Evolution. Do you think you can tell me more about that?" Draxon asks

"Of course." Prof. Sycamore says

The Pokémon Researcher stands up and walks over to the greenhouse area, beckoning Draxon to follow him.

"Follow me." Prof. Sycamore says

The Keyblade Wielder follows the Pokémon Researcher out into the greenhouse area where all the Pokémon gathered around to meet them.

"Everyone, this is Draxon. He's a new friend here. Why don't you all say hello?" Prof. Sycamore says

All the Pokémon laid their eyes on Draxon, curious as to who he was. The Caterpie crawled over to Draxon and looked up at him. The young teen kneeled down to the cute worm Pokémon and gently rubbed his right-hand on it's head. Caterpie let out a joyful croak, which made Draxon smile.

"Every Pokémon has the potential to evolve. It allows them to take on many different forms and grow stronger. This is what we call Evolution. It's kinda like a way of growing up to them. Usually what happens during evolution is a Pokémon will become enveloped in light and it will slowly change shape." Prof. Sycamore says

Draxon looks up at Prof. Sycamore for a second, then looks back down at Caterpie as it nuzzled itself against his arm.

"Take Caterpie for example. It's pretty easy to get it to evolve. If it's trained well enough, it can evolve into a Metapod. And from there, it will eventually evolve into a Butterfree." Prof. Sycamore says

Caterpie crawls up onto Draxon's arm and moves all the way up to his shoulder. Draxon rises up on his feet and looks at the worm Pokémon as it stared at him.

"Pokémon can achieve evolution when they reach a certain level, but there are other ways to get them to evolve." Prof. Sycamore says

"How so?" Draxon asks

"Evolution Stones for one example." Prof. Sycamore says

"Evolution Stones?" Draxon says feeling confused

"Right. Some Pokémon won't evolve unless you use a special stone which we call Evolution Stones. There's Water Stones for Water-types, Fire Stones for Fire-types, Leaf Stones for Grass-types, Thunder Stones for Electric-types, and many more." Prof. Sycamore says

Prof. Sycamore walks over to Helioptile and kneels down to it. He then rubs his hand on it's head, making the Pokémon trill with happiness.

"Helioptile for example can't evolve into Heliolisk unless you use a Sun Stone. But still, there are other items and methods besides Evolution Stones that help Pokémon to evolve." Prof. Sycamore says

Prof. Sycamore stands back up and turns to face Draxon.

"And then there's Mega Evolution which is another big step for a Pokémon to become even stronger. Mega Evolution is a way that Pokémon can achieve an ultimate form of themselves. But in order for them to mega evolve, it requires a Mega Stone and a Key Stone." Prof. Sycamore says

"A Mega Stone?" Draxon asks

"Right. These stones have incredible powers that allow Pokémon to mega evolve into their final form, giving them an unbelievable boost in power. It also requires a Pokémon to have an exceptionally strong bond with it's trainer, which is what Key Stones are for. However, these forms are not permanent. Pokémon that can mega evolve can revert back to their normal forms. Mega Stones can be used an infinite number of times, but it's power is limited." Prof. Sycamore says

"Wow. I had no idea Pokémon were so complex creatures." Draxon says

"Trust me. Pokémon are easy to understand once you get used to them." Prof. Sycamore says

Draxon had so much to take in. He had learned so much from Prof. Sycamore about the Pokémon. But there were still some questions he needed answered. Like the Keyblade and the Heartless. How did the people of this world come to know about them?

"You've told me so much about the Pokémon, Professor, but I still have a few questions." Draxon says

Draxon clutches his right-hand into a fist over his chest, then stretches his hand out, summoning his Keyblade in a flash of blue light. All of the Pokémon were surprised to see the Keyblade appear in Draxon's hand. They all stared at the Keyblade in awe and wonder. Draxon noticed the Pokémon's reaction to the Keyblade and proceeded to ask Prof. Sycamore his question.

"How is it that the Keyblade and Heartless are known here? I'm obviously not the first Keyblade Wielder to set foot here." Draxon says

"You're right about that, Draxon. There was another Keyblade Wielder who came here before you. Do you remember my friend, Ash Ketchum?" Prof. Sycamore says

"Yeah. You mentioned him earlier." Draxon says

"Well, let me tell you what I've heard." Prof. Sycamore says

( _Flashback_ )

The Pokémon Researcher reflects back to when he spoke with Ash and his friends, Clemont, and Bonnie after he had helped save Garchomp from falling off Prism Tower thanks to Team Rocket. Ash and his friends were sitting with Prof. Sycamore in the room that he and Draxon were in just a few moments earlier.

"Well, I'm glad that ordeal is over. Ash, I cannot thank you enough. You helped save Garchomp and that means a lot." Prof. Sycamore says

"It was no problem, Professor. I'm always willing to help a Pokémon in need." Ash says

"You truly are a brave young man, Ash. It's no doubt you have a very strong heart." Prof. Sycamore says

Ash chuckles a bit.

"If you think my heart is strong, you should meet my best friend, Devon. His heart is much more stronger than mine." Ash says

"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu says on Ash's shoulder

"Devon?" Clemont asks

"Who's that?" Bonnie asks

"Is he a friend of yours?" Prof. Sycamore asks

"Yeah. And he's someone very special. He's actually a really powerful Keyblade Wielder who's heart is full of pure light." Ash says

"Pika!" Pikachu says

"Really? A Keyblade Wielder? Wow. I heard Prof. Oak talking about him on the news." Prof. Sycamore says

"Yeah. Me and Pikachu, we were both with him on our journey to the Isle of Generations to save people and Pokémon from falling into darkness." Ash says

Ash clutches his hand into a fist as to what he was going to say next.

"And to save everyone from the hands of that tyrant, Lord Thanatos." Ash says

"Pika." Pikachu says with venom in it's voice upon hearing the evil being's name

"Lord Thanatos?" Prof. Sycamore asks

"Is he someone bad?" Bonnie says

"Yeah. He's a Keyblade Wielder just like Devon, but he's pure evil. He tried to cast the entire world into darkness as a means to conquer the Universe and make all people and Pokémon his slaves." Ash says

"Oh." Prof. Sycamore gasps

"Wow. I had no idea." Clemont says in awe

"This Lord Thanatos sounds like a very bad guy." Bonnie says

"Yeah. But me and Devon, we put him in his place. And we taught him not to mess with the power of people and Pokémon." Ash says

Ash thinks about Devon, viewing him as true friend.

"Out of all the people I've met on my journey as a Pokémon Trainer, I think Devon top's the list as one of my best friends. He really is special." Ash says

Ash looks back up at Prof. Sycamore.

"And he told me that he's on a journey to save the Universe and to become the Legendary Keyblade Master. Hopefully by then, I'll be a Pokémon Master. And maybe, the two of us can have a Pokémon battle! Now that would really be something!" Ash says

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu says agreeing with his partner

( _Present time_ )

Prof. Sycamore looked down and smiled at the memory of the conversation.

"I've never met anyone like Ash who spoke of such devotion to a friend like Devon. A Keyblade Wielder no less. He saved both people and Pokémon everywhere and that is really something incredible. I would like nothing more than to meet him someday." Prof. Sycamore says

Draxon was truly awe-inspired by the story. And he was right. It was Devon, the same Keyblade Wielder he had heard so much about. To be around such a brave, heroic person like him is truly an experience to behold. This made Draxon determined more than ever to meet him.

"Yeah... Me too." Draxon says

The Keyblade Wielder watched with Prof. Sycamore as the Pokémon played with each other, enjoying the moment they were having. Unknown to them, Mew hovered over the greenhouse area and observed Draxon carefully. It could instantly tell that Draxon was a good person seeing how he was petting the Caterpie on his shoulder. Mew smiled and felt happy at the touching moment, then flew off elsewhere.

( _Meanwhile_ )

In another part of the Kalos Region, Ash and his friends made a stop at a Pokémon Center to heal their Pokémon and refresh themselves after Ash's victory at the Shalour City Gym against Korrina. The four friends sat together in some chairs, taking time to relax and prepare themselves for their journey to Coumarine City.

Serena was brushing Fenneken's tail as she sat on her lap. Clemont went through his backpack, going through all his supplies while Bonnie petted Dedenne's head as it sat in her bag. Ash looked down at the three Gym Badges in his case, amazed at the progress he's made so far with his partner, Pikachu perched on his shoulder.

"I can't believe I already got three Gym Badges. We keep going like this and I'll be in the Pokemon League in no time." Ash says

"Well, you've still got five more badges to earn, Ash. It's still a long ways to get to the Pokémon League." Clemont says

"I know. But with each Gym Badge we earn and each experience, my Pokémon and I will just keep getting stronger. Then, we'll definitely be ready for the Pokémon League, and I'll be ready to have a battle with Diantha!" Ash says

"Pikachu!" Pikachu says

Suddenly, the heroes turn their attention to a large television monitor that was mounted on the nearby wall where they saw a broadcast of the Heartless attack in Lumiose City.

"Hey! That's Lumiose City!" Clemont exclaims

"Oh no!" Bonnie exclaims

"Na-na!" Dedenne exclaims

"What's going on?!" Serena asks shocked

The group was shocked at the video they were seeing. People and Pokémon were fleeing from the park, screaming in terror. But what they saw next left the heroes horrified. The video changed to show a large group of Neoshadows attacking the people and Pokémon as they fled.

"Whoa! What are those things?!" Clemont asks

"They look scary." Bonnie says feeling scared

"Na-na." Dedenne says agreeing with the little girl

The moment Ash and Pikachu saw the dark creatures on the television screen, they instantly recognized them as Heartless.

"Those are Heartless!" Ash exclaims in shock

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaims in shock

"Heartless?" Serena asks

"Aren't those the things you told us about, Ash? They're the creatures of darkness that are born from people's hearts, right?" Clemont asks

"Yeah. That's right. They come in many different forms." Ash says

"But what were they doing in Lumiose City?" Clemont asks

 _"Earlier today, a multitude of dark creatures attacked Lumiose City, wreaking havoc in one of the local parks, terrorizing both the people and the Pokémon."_ A female reporter says

"Oh, those poor people." Serena says

"And those Pokémon." Ash gasps

"Why would those black monsters want to hurt all those Pokémon? That's so mean!" Bonnie says

 _"Luckily, all the people and Pokemon were able to escape to safety thanks to the valiant efforts of Prof. Sycamore and his Garchomp."_ The reporter says

The video on the television changed again, showing Prof. Sycamore and Garchomp facing off against the Heartless. They all watched as Garchomp used Dragon Claw to slash a Neoshadow into oblivion.

"There's Professor Sycamore!" Serena exclaims in surprise

"And Garchomp!" Ash exclaims in surprise

 _"But they also had help from this brave, mysterious young man who showed no mercy against the evil creatures."_ The reporter says

Then, the video changed again, showing Draxon in his fight against the Heartless. Ash and friends watched in amazement as Draxon fought the Neoshadows with his Keyblade, saving the two families, the two teenagers, and their Pokémon.

"Wow. Who is that?" Bonnie asks in amazement

Ash and Pikachu were both really surprised when they saw Draxon. But they were very surprised with what they saw in his hands.

"Ah! No way!" Ash exclaims in surprise

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu exclaims in surprise

"What, Ash? What is it?" Clemont asks

"That guy on the news. He's a Keyblade Wielder!" Ash says

"Huh? A Keyblade?" Bonnie asks feeling confused

"It's a really ancient weapon that has incredible powers. And it can only be used by it's chosen wielder." Ash says

"Ash, didn't you tell us one of you friends was a Keyblade Wielder?" Serena asks

"Yeah. His name was Devon and he's a very strong Keyblade Wielder who saved the world from the Heartless. He saved a lot of people and Pokemon. I was with him." Ash says

"Wow. He sounds amazing." Bonnie says

"He sure is." Ash says

"But... do you think that's him on the news?" Clemont asks

Ash and his friends look back at the television as they continue to watch Draxon slash through each Heartless in his path.

"I don't know. It's been a while since me and Pikachu last saw him. It certaintly looks like him." Ash says

"Pikachu." Pikachu says in a concerned tone

The heroes watch as both humans and Pokémon work to fix the damage the Heartless inflicted on the park.

 _"The local park has been cleared for now, but clean-up crews and volunteers are now working to restore the area back to it's original splendor. Experts are trying to determine why this attack happened, but it almost seems eerily similar to the overwhelming incident that occurred just a few months ago. But for now, the people and Pokémon of Lumiose City owe a debt of gratitude to this mysterious young man for saving the lives of both family and friends. We'll keep more updates on this story as it develops."_ The reporter says

Ash and Pikachu continued observing the broadcast, both of their thoughts thinking towards their best friend, Devon.

 _"Devon, I hope you're alright."_ Ash says in his thoughts

( _Twilight Town_ )

Axel and Xion were both done with their mission and were already sitting on top of the clock tower in Twilight Town, eating their Sea-Salt Ice Cream. Xion looked over to her left and saw that Draxon and Roxas still hadn't shown up.

"Roxas and Draxon are late today." Xion says

"Hope Xigbar isn't giving Roxas too hard of a time." Axel says

"But what about Draxon?" Xion asks looking at Axel

"He was sent to a new world to do recon just like Roxas and Xigbar. Knowing him, he's probably taking in all the sights. You know, from what I heard, the world he was sent to is pretty big. Don't worry. I'm sure he's alright." Axel says

"Yeah." Xion says looking down

Xion gazes out at the sunset and stares at it for a while.

"You know what, Axel?" Xion says

"Hmm?" Axel says

"I remember how you were talking the other day about how we all have pasts. When I sit here and talk with you guys... I get the strangest feeling... that a long time ago, I used to watch the sunset with somebody else. It's the same when I watch the sea." Xion says

Xion reaches into her left-pocket and takes out a Thalassa shell, looking down at as she held it in her palm.

"Someplace by the sea... where I look at the water and hear the sound of the waves lapping against the shore... I get the feeling that I was talking with someone. Almost like I hear another voice." Xion says

"So you mean that... you have memories of your past?" Axel asks

"No... It's not quite like that." Xion says shaking her head slightly

Xion puts the seashell back in her pocket, then shrugs her shoulders.

"Well, I dunno. It just seems weird that they're mine." Xion says

Xion looks over at Axel.

"What do you think? Are these memories?" Xion asks

"Huh... I wouldn't know either." Axel says

"You have memories, don't you?" Xion asks

"Yeah sorta. Though it's not like they've ever really done me any good." Axel says

"Roxas and Draxon are like me. Neither one of us remember much. I wonder if we had... this much in common before we were Nobodies." Xion says

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Alright. This chapter was a little challenging for met to get done. It was tough to decide which world Draxon should visit next. I wasn't sure whether it would be Spyro and Cynder's world, The Dragon Realms, or The World of Pokémon. Ultimately, I went along with the Pokémon World. But then came the next challenge: Which region would Draxon be visiting. At first, my initial thought would be Kanto. But I decided to keep things current, so I went along with the Kalos region. Here, Draxon visits Lumiose City where he meets Prof. Sycamore and helps defeat a group of Heartless. I also made some minor OCs of my own for the Pokémon World. First, there's Ryan and Brenda, two Pokémon Trainers both on their own journey to become Pokémon Masters. And there's Jill and her parents. Next up, the heroes finally get a vacation. How will they spend it? Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


	13. Vacation Day

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 _ **~ Day 118 ~**_

 _ **Lazy Day**_

( _The World That Never Was_ )

It was another day for Organization XIII as Kingdom Hearts hovered endlessly above the Castle That Never Was. Only today, the castle was eerily quiet. Draxon walks into the Grey Area and finds it to be completely empty with none of the other members in sight.

"Huh? Where is everyone?" Draxon says feeling confused

Draxon looked across the room and saw something hanging from the window. It looked like a piece of paper. A notice of somekind. The young teen walked over and read the notice.

 _"Operations closed for vacation."_

As he stared at the notice, Draxon heard approaching footsteps from behind. Turning around, he saw that it was Roxas entering the room.

"Morning, Draxon. What's up?" Roxas greets

"Hey, Roxas. Come check this out." Draxon says pointing back to the notice with his right-thumb

Roxas walked over to Draxon and saw the notice hanging on the window. He looked over the paper and read what was on it. Like Draxon, he was confused as to what it meant.

"Vacation? What's that?" Roxas asks looking at Draxon

"You got me." Draxon says shrugging his shoulders

The two boys left the room and took a walk through the castle, wondering if any of the other members were still around. They wandered about the castle for several minutes until they ran into Axel.

"Oh, hey, Roxas. Hey, Draxon. You hear about the vacation? About time we had a day off." Axel says

"What's a vacation?" Draxon asks

"We've never had a vacation before." Roxas says

"Is that right?" Axel asks

"What's our job during vacation?" Roxas asks

"What's your... Roxas, Draxon, you're really missing the point." Axel says

"C'mon, Axel. Give us some slack." Draxon says

"Yeah. It's not our fault we've never had a vacation." Roxas says

"What are we supposed to do?" Draxon asks

"Do what you like." Axel says

"Do what we like?" Draxon asks feeling confused

"Yeah. No Heart Collection. No hunting Heartless. No boring recon. Basically, you just goof around and have fun." Axel says

"No missions, huh?" Draxon says

"What are you gonna do, Axel?" Roxas asks

"Me? Sleep. And once I'm done, roll over and sleep some more." Axel says

"Don't you spend enough time in bed?" Roxas asks

"You kidding? I'd nap six times a day if they'd let me. All right, snooze-land is calling. Enjoy your day off!" Axel says

With that, Axel took his leave, heading back to his room to rest. The two boys watched as Axel went down the hallway and out of sight. Then, they looked toward each other.

"What do you feel like doing, Draxon?" Roxas asks

"I'm not sure yet. Let's go see if Xion is still around." Draxon says

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon and Roxas wandered about the castle, looking for Xion. As they searched for their friend, Draxon thought about what Axel said.

 _"Do what you like."_

That thought echoed in Draxon's mind. What did he like to do? Well, now that he thought about it, he did enjoy the flights he took with Kindle, his Monstrous Nightmare back on Berk. But that was only during missions when they were hunting down Heartless. Now, that he was on vacation, Draxon thought it'd be a good idea to pay his dragon a visit. It had been weeks since he last saw her. And he was sure that Xion missed seeing her dragon too. It would be a good opportunity to spend time with their dragons. It was also an opportunity to introduce Roxas to the dragons and help find one for him to train.

After walking for minutes, the two boys soon run into Xion on a staircase, somewhere in the castle.

"Oh, Xion!" Roxas says

"Hey, guys, good morning." Xion says

"Did you see the notice posted?" Draxon asks

"Yeah." Xion says

"What are we supposed to do with a day off?" Roxas asks

"Well... I was thinking I'd practice with my Keyblade." Xion says

Xion looks over at Draxon, wondering if he had anything in mind.

"What about you, Draxon? What were you planning on doing?" Xion asks

"I thought I'd go to Berk and pay Kindle a visit. It's been a while since I last saw her. You wanna go with me?" Draxon says

"Sure. I've been wondering how Lapis was doing. I bet I can practice using my Keyblade while we're there." Xion says

"Why don't you come with us to Berk, Roxas? We can probably find you a dragon to ride with us." Draxon says

"Alright. That sounds fun." Roxas says

"It's gonna be great. You guys will get to meet the Vikings and Dragons that live there. Let's go!" Draxon says

( _Berk_ )

A dark corridor opens up on Raven's Point, not far from the village of Berk. This was where Hiccup shot down Toothless the night of the raid. The three Keyblade Wielders step out of the dark corridor and come out onto cliff. Once they were out, the dark portal closes behind them.

"Well, here we are." Draxon says

"So, this is Berk." Roxas says

"Yep. And there's the village." Draxon says pointing in the direction ahead of him

Roxas and Xion both look over to where Draxon was pointing. Looking down over the side of the cliff, they could see the village of Berk.

"The Vikings and Dragons live down there?" Xion asks

"Yeah. C'mon, let's head down and take a look." Draxon says

Draxon walks down the cliff with Roxas and Xion following close behind. It took them a few minutes to head down the hill, but they were soon walking through the village. Roxas and Xion saw Vikings and Dragons all around them, staring at them in wonder. Some of the Vikings saw Draxon and greeted him.

"Hey, Draxon!" A Viking greets

"Hey!" Draxon greets waving his hand

"Good to see ya here, lad!" Another Viking greets

"Thanks!" Draxon says

"You sure are popular around here, Draxon." Xion says

"I've helped fend off a few Heartless attacks on the village. The Vikings around here pretty much trust me. I've also brought our dragons here too, Xion." Draxon says

"Really? Kindle and Lapis are here?" Xion asks

"Yeah. I thought it'd be a good idea to keep them here in the village for every mission that brings us to Berk. I'm sure they're around somewhere." Draxon says

As they walked through the village, the teens looked around at all the dragons that were in the village. They watched a Gronckle move across from them. Three green Terrible Terrors flew up to the trio, curious to observe them, but they soon flew off elsewhere into the village. Looking off in another direction, Roxas and Xion both saw a two Deadly Nadders perched up on the roof of a wooden house, grooming themselves.

The Keyblade Wielders soon came around to the village plaza. From there, they looked upon the Great Hall. Draxon had never been inside the Great Hall during his missions to Berk, but he was curious to see what it looked like inside. He also felt that Stoick and Gobber could be inside as well.

"Let's head up there." Draxon says

Roxas and Xion followed Draxon as he ascended the stone stairs leading up to the Great Hall. It wasn't long before they reached the top where Draxon opened the tall doors. The trio stepped foot the Great Hall and were amazed at what they saw.

The Great Hall was simple, yet intimitading. The walls were stone and the floor was dirt, which was typical since the large hall was built inside a cave. Wide wooden pillars were scattered throughout the hall, each with decorated metal bands and carvings on them. Hanging from the stone walls were many tapestries that were decorated with different designs. There were dozens of benches and long wooden tables in the hall. But in the center of the hall was a huge, circular table with a burning fire pit in the middle.

Draxon, Roxas, and Xion walked into the Great Hall, taking in every detail of it's design. They saw a few Vikings along with some dragons sitting at some tables, enjoying each other's company. Draxon noticed that Stoick and Gobber were standing at the fire pit, both with a mug of ale in their hands, talking to each other.

"Another day gone by with no Heartless in sight. I'd say things are turning out to be better, Stoick. Wouldn't ya agree?" Gobber says

"Aye. Berk has gotten to be more peaceful with the Heartless becoming more fewer. But that don't mean we should lower our guard. We still need to keep watch over the surrounding areas should those demons be on the move again." Stoick says

Gobber places his left-hand on Stoick's shoulder.

"Ah, try not to let those things get to ya, Chief. You need to learn to relax." Gobber says

"Hmm." Stoick says staring down at the fire

The two Vikings soon look over to their left and they saw Draxon, Roxas, and Xion approaching them.

"Hey! Look who it is!" Gobber exclaims with a happy expression

"Hey, Gobber." Draxon greets waving his hand

"Fancy seeing you here, Draxon. How've ya been, lad?" Gobber asks

"Good. How's the village holding up?" Draxon asks

"Everything's fine and dandy. The dragons are calm and we Vikings couldn't be happier. It's a relief we can tend to the village without those Heartless causing trouble. " Gobber says

"Aye. We've had plenty of time to sharpen our defenses thanks to your efforts, Draxon. But although there haven't been any Heartless around, that doesn't mean we should lower our guard. Those demons are persistent and I don't think they've given up on us yet." Stoick says

"Well, I'm just glad you guys are doing alright." Draxon says

Draxon went and introduced his two best friends to the two Vikings.

"I'd like you to meet my two best friends." Draxon says

He looks over to Roxas on his left and gestures to him.

"Roxas." Draxon introduces

Then, he looks over to Xion on his right, gesturing his hand to her.

"And Xion." Draxon introduces

"Hi." Roxas greets waving his right-hand

"Hi." Xion greets waving her right-hand

"Pleasure to meet ya both. Any friend of Draxon is a friend of mine." Gobber says

"Xion is Lapis' rider. Roxas doesn't have a dragon of his own yet, but I'm hoping we'll find him one. Roxas and Xion are both Keyblade Wielders like me." Draxon says

Stoick and Gobber were both a bit surprised at what Draxon said.

"Really? They're Keyblade Wielders too?" Gobber asks

"Yep." Draxon says

Draxon summoned his Keyblade: Soul Calibur into his right-hand, then Roxas and Xion both summoned their Keyblades into their hands to prove his point. Stoick and Gobber looked on in amazement at the trio. Even the Vikings and Dragons that were around them saw this and they too were amazed. The three teens soon de-summoned their Keyblades.

"They're jobs are the same as mine. We hunt down Heartless and send them back into the darkness. That is our mission. But right now, we're just taking a vacation from all the Heartless hunting." Draxon says

"We'd be more than happy to have more Keyblade Wielders around. You and your friends are always welcome to Berk, Draxon. Our home is your home. Feel free to make the most out of your visit." Stoick says

"Do you have any idea where Kindle and Lapis might be? We were thinking on taking them out for a flight." Draxon asks

"They're more than likely resting in one of the Dragon Houses we have here." Gobber says

"Right. Thanks, Stoick. Thanks, Gobber." Draxon says nodding his head

Draxon turns and looks at Roxas and Xion.

"Let's go see how the dragons are doing." Draxon says

The trio left the Great Hall and went back out into the village. They soon came up to some Dragon Houses. One had a Deadly Nadder head carved out of wood. And the one next to it had a Monstrous Nightmare head also carved from wood. Kindle and Lapis were both laying down in the houses, resting. The two dragons opened their eyes and stepped out from their respective houses. Kindle reared back and stretched her body, tail, and neck, letting out a yawn. Lapis shook her body and stretched out her wings. Once they shook off the tiredness from their bodies, Kindle and Lapis saw their beloved riders approaching them. The sight of their riders certaintly filled them with joy and excitement and they immediately ran over to them.

"Kindle!" Draxon says happily

"Lapis!" Xion says happily

The two teens ran to their dragons and embraced them in their arms. Draxon gave Kindle a nice scratch under her chin which made the Monstrous Nightmare wag her tail even more. Xion rubbed her hands on Lapis' head while she let out a happy croon. Roxas watched as his two best friends and their dragons show their affection for each other. He couldn't help but smile at the moment they were having. Once he was done scratching Kindle's chin, Draxon looked over to Roxas.

"So, these are your dragons? They seem nice." Roxas says

"Yeah. They're great. You want to meet them?" Draxon says

"Sure." Roxas says

Roxas walked over and approached Draxon and Kindle first.

"Kindle, this is Roxas. Be gentle with him. He's new to dragons." Draxon says

Kindle nodded her head in understanding, then moved closer to Roxas. The dragon sniffed Roxas a few times, taking in his scent. Once she was done, the Monstrous Nightmare nuzzled her head against Roxas. The young teen rubbed his hands over the dragon's snout, feeling her scales.

"She's really friendly." Roxas says

Once he was done with Kindle, Roxas moved on to Xion and her dragon, Lapis.

"Roxas, this is Lapis. She's my dragon." Xion says

"She looks different than Kindle." Roxas says looking up at Lapis before looking back at Kindle

"That's cause Lapis is a Deadly Nadder. From what we've seen, the dragons here are of different species. And not only that, each dragon has their own special abilities." Draxon says

Draxon looks at Kindle and pats her neck gently with his left-hand.

"Kindle is a Monstrous Nightmare. From what I learned, her species has the ability to ignite their bodies on fire." Draxon says

Kindle lights her whole body on fire for a brief moment as a demonstration of her Fire Burst, surprising Roxas.

"Whoa!" Roxas exclaims

"And Lapis, being a Deadly Nadder, can use the spikes on it's tail as well as it's flame." Draxon says

Lapis brings her tail around and shows the teens her spikes, making them preen upwards.

"Wow." Roxas says

"They also like having their tails rubbed." Xion says

Xion walks up to Lapis' tail and gently rubs her hand down it's length, making the spikes preen downwards. Lapis closed her eyes and let out a croon of comfort as she enjoyed having her tail rubbed.

"See? Come try it, Roxas." Xion says

Roxas walks over to Xion and places his hand on Lapis' tail, gently stroking it down it's length. The young teen smiled as he continued rubbing Lapis' tail. Draxon and Xion were smiling as well. As soon as Roxas stopped rubbing her tail, Lapis tilted her head to look at him. Much as Kindle did with him, Lapis sniffed Roxas in a few places, getting accustomed to his scent. She then nuzzled her head against his body, letting out another croon, thanking Roxas for the tail rub. Roxas rubbed his hand on the Deadly Nadder's head as she nuzzled him.

Draxon was impressed with Roxas' progress. He had shown much affection to the dragons and they had shown much trust in him. Now, it was on to the next step in making Roxas a Dragon Rider. Draxon went and grabbed Kindle and Lapis' saddles, putting both saddles under both arms, then walked back to the two teens and dragons.

"C'mon. Let's take these dragons for a spin. I bet they're just dying to go for a flight." Draxon says

Kindle instantly went over to Draxon's side and wagged her tail excitingly. He could tell she was more than ready to go flying.

"Heh. Seems like Kindle's ready." Draxon says

Lapis let out a roar, saying that she was ready too.

"Sounds like Lapis wants to go too." Xion says

"Well, Roxas? You want to see what it's like to fly a dragon?" Draxon asks

"Yeah! Let's do it!" Roxas says feeling excited

Draxon and Xion strapped on their dragon's saddles and climbed up onto their backs.

"You can ride with me on Lapis, Roxas." Xion says

Roxas nodded his head and went up to Lapis' right-side. The Deadly Nadder lowered herself down to the ground and Roxas climbed up onto her back, sitting behind Xion.

"Alright. Let's fly!" Draxon says

Kindle let out a mighty roar and both she and her rider took off into the air with a strong flap of her wings. Lapis flapped her wings and followed them. Roxas wrapped his arms around Xion's stomach as they took off.

The trio began with their flight by flying around Berk. First, they flew through the village, passing over houses and buildings. Then, they flew down over the docks, flying over the ships that were docked along the island and the Vikings that were working there. Some of the Vikings that were fishermen bringing in nets full of fish onto the docks glanced up and watched as the three Keyblade Wielders and their dragons soared overhead.

Draxon looked back at Roxas and Xion as they flew behind him on Lapis, checking to see if they were doing alright. He could see that they were certaintly was enjoying the flight, especially Roxas. Draxon smiled as he was glad to see him and his friends having fun. He then glanced over to the large forests that stood along Berk's borders. Since there had been no sightings of Heartless on Berk lately, he thought it wouldn't hurt to take their flight into the forest.

"Follow me. We'll be taking our flight into the forest." Draxon says

Draxon and Kindle turned right and headed toward the wilderness with Roxas, Xion, and Lapis right behind them.

( _Moments later_ )

The three Nobodies and their dragons were now flying through the forest, zig-zagging past trees, enjoying their flight.

"So, Roxas, how's it feel to be flying on a dragon?" Draxon asks looking back

"It's awesome!" Roxas says

"Glad to hear it." Draxon says

"I guess this is what it means to have fun." Roxas says

"I guess so." Draxon says

Suddenly, a distant screeching roar filled the air which caught Draxon's attention, forcing him and Kindle to stop.

"Whoa! Kindle, stop!" Draxon says

Kindle slowed down and came to a stop in a clearing. Lapis slowed to a stop as well, much to Roxas and Xion's surprise.

"Guys, hold up!" Draxon says stretching his right-arm out

"Draxon, what is it?" Xion asks feeling confused

"Did you guys hear that?" Draxon asks

"Hear what?" Roxas asks looking around

The roar sounded off in the forest again.

"That." Draxon says

Lapis perked her head up and her spikes shot upwards upon hearing the roar and looked off in the direction it came from. She recognized it as a Deadly Nadder's roar. Even Kindle looked off in the direction of the roar. Draxon, Roxas, and Xion noticed their dragon's behavior and they followed their gaze, glancing off in the direction they were looking.

"Seems like they're coming from that way. Whatever it is, our dragons seem to recognize it. C'mon, let's go check it out." Draxon says

Putting a pause to their fun flight, the trio flew off in the direction of the roars. They traversed through the forest for several minutes following the sound of the roars, intent on finding out what it is. Whatever was making these roars sounded like it was in pain. The trio soon came into a clearing and found the source of the roars. They were shocked by what they saw. A Deadly Nadder was down on the ground laying on it's side with it's right-wing pinned underneath a large fallen tree.

This Deadly Nadder had golden blonde scales with a light beige underbelly. The inside of it's wings was a mixture of brown and tan. It had yellow horns and black talons. And it's eyes were yellow.

The dragon let out a painful roar as it tried to pull it's wing out from underneath the boulder. The three teens couldn't help but feel bad for the poor dragon.

"Oh no. That dragon's hurt." Xion gasps

"What happened?" Roxas asks

"I'm not sure. But let's see if we can give it a hand." Draxon says

Kindle and Lapis gently touched down in the clearing, keeping their distance a few feet away from the injured dragon. Draxon, Roxas, and Xion climbed off their dragons and cautiously approached the Deadly Nadder. The dragon watched as the Nobodies moved closer to it. Although it was injured, the Deadly Nadder was intelligent enough to know that the teens were here to help it. The trio surveyed the area, searching for any clues as to what happened. The first thing they noticed was that several other trees had been knocked down with their bases blasted to bits.

"Wow. Some of these trees were knocked down." Roxas says

Continuing their investigation, they found a large burn mark on the ground close to where the Deadly Nadder.

"Check this out. There's a burn mark here." Draxon says

"It's huge." Xion says amazed at the size of the mark

Draxon kneeled down to the burn mark and touched it with his right-hand. The spot felt very warm, indicating that it was made recently.

"Still feels warm." Draxon says

"So, we've got broken trees, and a big burn mark. What could've happened here?" Roxas asks

"My guess is that a fight must've broke out." Draxon says

"Really?" Xion asks

"Yeah." Draxon says

The trio looks at the injured Deadly Nadder.

"This dragon was probaby in a fight against something. Whatever it was must've knocked it into the tree, causing it to fall over on it's wing, pinning it to the ground." Draxon says

Draxon walks over to the dragon and kneels down to examine the tree.

"And this tree is really big. So whatever it was this dragon was fighting had to be strong enough to knock this tree over." Draxon says

"What about this burn mark?" Roxas asks

Draxon rises up and walks over to Roxas and Xion as they examine the burn mark next.

"Well, it's a pretty big mark. And it's still warm which means this must've been made recently. It would also mean this fight occured recently." Draxon says

"So, what do we do?" Xion asks

Draxon, Roxas, and Xion look back at the injured Deadly Nadder.

"Well, we've got to get this dragon's wing free." Draxon says

The three teens then look over the tree that pinned the dragon's wing to the ground.

"And to do that, we need to move the tree. Judging by it's size, I can imagine it's gonna be heavy. We'll need our dragon's help." Draxon says

The Deadly Nadder let out a groan, catching the attention of the teens.

"Roxas, why don't you go over and keep the dragon calm while me, Xion, Kindle, and Lapis deal with the tree." Draxon says

"You got it." Roxas says nodding his head

Roxas walked over to the Deadly Nadder's head and kneeled down to it while Draxon and Xion went over to their dragons. Both Nobody and Dragon stared into each other's eyes for a brief moment before Roxas spoke.

"Hey. How are you holding up? You alright? You must've had a pretty rough day, huh?" Roxas asks

The Deadly Nadder let out another groan as it laid it's head down against the dirt. Roxas stretched his right-hand out slowly to the dragon while it watched him. Soon, his hand made contact with the Deadly Nadder's snout. The kind, gentle touch of the young teen soothed the dragon and it let out croon. The Deadly Nadder then looked at Roxas with an expression full of trust. Roxas nodded his head and gave the dragon a kind smile.

"It's okay. We're here to help. You can trust us. Everything's gonna be alright." Roxas says

While Roxas was keeping the Deadly Nadder calm, Draxon and Xion were up on their dragon's backs.

"Okay, Roxas. We're gonna lift the tree up in a few seconds. We need you to keep the dragon focused on you." Draxon says

"Gotcha!" Roxas says

The Deadly Nadder looked over at the two teens and their dragons and started growling a little. Roxas noticed and tried to gain the dragon's attention.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. Don't worry. They're gonna free your wing. Look at me." Roxas says rubbing his hand on the dragon's snout

The dragon looked back at Roxas, putting it's focus back on him and calming down.

"That's it. Just keep looking at me. I'm here for you." Roxas says

The Deadly Nadder gave off another croon of content. As Roxas kept the dragon calm, Draxon, Xion, and their dragons prepared themselves for the task at hand.

"Ready, Xion?" Draxon asks

"Ready." Xion says

"Alright. Kindle, Lapis, lift." Draxon says

Kindle and Lapis both took hold of the tree with their mouths.

"Okay... Nice and easy..." Draxon says

Working together, the combined strength of the two dragons was enough to lift the tree from the Deadly Nadder's wing. The dragon felt the pressure on it's wing disappear and slowly raised it, only to let out a pain-filled squawk.

"Oh no! Your wing!" Roxas says

Kindle and Lapis dropped the tree onto the ground, away from the Deadly Nadder. Having dealt with the tree, Draxon and Xion climbed off their dragons and quickly went over to Roxas upon hearing the Deadly Nadder's painful squawk.

"That tree must've broken the dragon's wing when it fell over." Draxon says

Draxon kneeled down and carefully examined the dragon's wing.

"It looks to be a simple break. We're lucky the bones didn't get crushed into dust. I think I can fix it. This should only take a moment." Draxon says

Draxon sat on his knees and held both his hands over the Deadly Nadder's wing. He then closed his eyes as he concentrated on using his magic. His hands soon began to emit a blue aura, shining down upon the Deadly Nadder's injured wing with it's glowing light. The light then started to envelope the dragon's wing, slowly but surely mending the broken bones inside the wing membrane. Roxas, Xion, and the three dragons watched in amazement as Draxon's magic did their work. The healing process lasted for exactly a minute before the light in Draxon's palms and on the dragon's wing faded away. The young teen opened his eyes and lowered his hands, letting out a small sigh of exhaustion. Once he caught his breath, Draxon stood and rose up on his feet.

"Okay. That should do it." Draxon says

The Deadly Nadder looked over at it's side and lifted it's wing up. There was no pain anymore. Draxon's magic had did the trick. The dragon's wing was fully healed. The Deadly Nadder stood up and let out a happy squawk.

"Alright!" Roxas exclaims

"Draxon, you did it!" Xion exclaims

Draxon turned and looked at his two friends. He then placed his hands on both their shoulders.

"No. We did it." Draxon says smiling

Draxon felt glad that his magic healed the dragon. But he still wondered how he had these healing powers. Was it because of the Keyblade? Or was it something else? Regardless of how he came to have these powers, Draxon made sure that he would make good use of them.

The Deadly Nadder lowered it's head down to the three teens and nudged Roxas' back, gaining his attention.

"Huh?" Roxas says

The dragon began nuzzling itself against Roxas, showing him some affection.

"I guess he's trying to say thank you." Xion says

Roxas looked upon the Deadly Nadder and rubbed his hands on it's snout and on the left-side of it's head. The dragon crooned in content.

"You're welcome." Roxas says

Draxon walked up to Roxas and gave him a gentle pat in the back.

"You know, Roxas, I think you've got yourself a tamed dragon to ride." Draxon says

"Really?" Roxas asks

"Yeah. He's certaintly has taking a liking to you. I'd say you definitely earned his trust." Draxon says

"Wow." Roxas says

Roxas looks back at the Deadly Nadder and continues rubbing it's head.

"I've got my own dragon." Roxas says amazed

"What are you gonna call him?" Draxon asks

"Huh?" Roxas says looking back at Draxon

"He's gotta have a name, right? You got one?" Draxon asks

"Hmm..." Roxas says

Roxas looked down and began thinking of what name he should give his dragon. It took the young teen a while to think since it was hard for him to actually think of a name to give to his newly bonded dragon. Eventually, Roxas came up with a name for the Deadly Nadder.

"How about Bristle?" Roxas says

Draxon crosses his arms and looks down.

"Bristle... Hmm..." Draxon says

After thinking the name over a few times in his head, Draxon nodded his head, agreeing with the name.

"Yeah. It sounds good." Draxon says

"What do you think, Xion?" Roxas asks

"I think that's a good name for him, Roxas." Xion says

Roxas looks at his tamed dragon.

"How about you? You like it?" Roxas asks

The Deadly Nadder nods his head in agreement, taking a liking to it's new name.

"I guess that's a yes." Roxas says smiling

"Congrats, Roxas. You've officially tamed your own dragon." Draxon says

"Thanks, Draxon." Roxas says

"This is great! Now all three of us have dragons!" Xion says

"Yeah. And if we can get Axel a dragon, then the four of us will be the whole set." Roxas says

"Well, I think we've been out here long enough. Whaddya say we head back to Berk." Draxon says

Draxon looks over at Xion.

"I'll train with you on your Keyblade, Xion." Draxon says

"Okay." Xion says

"Right. Let's get out of here." Draxon says

Draxon and Xion both climbed onto Kindle and Lapis, then looked over at Roxas and Bristle.

"Roxas, why don't you try riding Bristle? I think this would be a good opportunity for you to ride your own dragon." Draxon says

Roxas nodded his head, then turned to face Bristle. The Deadly Nadder lowered himself down and allowed Roxas to climb onto his back. Roxas wasn't used to riding on a dragon bareback, but his black coat helped make himself comfortable. Once he was set, the young teen wrapped his arms around Bristle's neck.

"You think you'll be alright?" Draxon asks feeling concerned

"Yeah. I think I can manage until we get back to Berk." Roxas says

Draxon nodded his head, then gave Kindle two gentle pats on the neck with his right-hand.

"Let's go, girl." Draxon says

Kindle looked back at her rider and nodded her head in acknowledgement. The female Monstrous Nightmare started flapping her wings, rising up off the ground. Lapis and Bristle began flapping their wings also. Soon, all three dragons were hovering in the air.

"Follow me." Draxon says

With that, Draxon and Kindle took flight, soaring upwards into the air. Xion and Lapis followed them up, leaving Roxas and Bristle behind. The young teen and Deadly Nadder looked at each other for a few seconds. Roxas nodded his head and patted Bristle's neck two times with his right-hand.

"Let's fly, Bristle!" Roxas says

Bristle let out a squawk and he took off into the air with Roxas holding on tightly to his neck.

The trio flew up out of the forest and into the skies above. Flying away from the island, the trio dived down and flew out over the ocean. They were soon skimming above the water's surface by only a mere few feet. Once Bristle's flying became smoother, Roxas looked over the right-side and glanced down at the ocean, watching his reflection in the water's surface in amazement. Draxon looked back at Roxas and Bristle and saw that his best friend was doing fine, despite he wasn't riding his dragon on a saddle.

The three dragons flew back up higher into the air until they were up above the clouds. It was an extrodinary experience for the three Nobodies. They were in a sea of clouds. Each of them stared in amazement at the skies around them, savouring the moment. After flying in the clouds for only a few minutes, they saw a break in the clouds and could see the Isle of Berk down below. Descending from the clouds, the teens got an amazing aerial view of the village.

"There's Berk." Draxon says

"It's beautiful having to see it from up here." Xion says

"Yeah." Roxas says

"C'mon. Let's get down to the village." Draxon says

And with that, the teens flew their dragons down toward the village, concluding their eventful flight. They landed in the village plaza and climbed down off their dragons.

"Well, that was quite a flight we had." Draxon says

"How's it feel to be riding your own dragon, Roxas?" Draxon asks

"It was awesome, Draxon. But I think I'd enjoy it more if I had a saddle for Bristle." Roxas says

"Maybe someone can help you get one here in the village." Xion says

Draxon looked around the village and he saw Gobber working at the Forge, pounding on a sword ontop of an anvil with his hammer prosthetic.

"I know who we can ask. Follow me." Draxon says

The Keyblade Wielders walked over to the Forge with their dragons following close behind. Gobber had just finished his work on the sword when he saw the three teens approach.

"Hey, Gobber." Draxon greets

"Hey, Draxon. What's up? Ya three need somethin'?" Gobber says

As he looked at the trio, Gobber noticed that Roxas had his own tamed dragon.

"Ah. I see you've got yourself a Deadly Nadder, Roxas. He looks gorgeous." Gobber says

"His name's Bristle. We found him out in the forest during our flight. His wing got broken underneath a tree, but we helped fix him right up." Roxas says

"We think Bristle might've gotten into a fight with something. We don't know what, but..." Draxon says

"I'd bet my skivvies it was some darn Heartless." Gobber says

"That's what we thought too." Roxas says

"Well, I'm glad the three of you made it out okay." Gobber says

"You should be sure to let Stoick know what we found." Draxon says

"Aye. Don't ya worry. I'll let him know. Is there anything else ya might be needin'?" Gobber says

"Do you think you could provide a saddle for Bristle?" Roxas asks

"Yep. We got plenty of saddles here in the Forge. Hold on." Gobber says

Gobber went into the back of the Forge and searched for a Deadly Nadder saddle. He soon came back with one over his left-arm.

"There ya go. One nice saddle for one Deadly Nadder." Gobber says

Roxas kindly took the saddle from Gobber and thanked him.

"Thanks, Gobber." Roxas thanks

"Glad I could help. Anything else on yer minds?" Gobber asks

"Yeah. Me, Roxas, and Xion were planning on training with our Keyblades. Do you know of any place we could train?" Draxon asks

"Sure. You can use the arena over there. It's where we used to... you know." Gobber says

Gobber leans slightly closer to the three teens, putting his left-hand to the right-side of his face, whispering to them.

"Kill dragons." Gobber whispers

Draxon, Roxas, and Xion looked back at their dragons, then looked back, understanding what Gobber was getting at.

"Right. Thanks for all your help, Gobber. We'll catch ya later." Draxon says

The Keyblade Wielders walked off towards the arena with their dragons while Gobber waved to them.

"Anytime! I'll be here if ya need me!" Gobber says

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon, Roxas, and Xion approached the arena followed by their dragons. The gate to the arena was open so they went on through. The three teens looked around at the arena as they came in. The arena was quite big and wide. Looking above their heads, a web of chains covered the arena. And at the far end across from them was the tall wooden gate.

"So, this is the arena. Hard to believe that Vikings and Dragons fought each other in here." Draxon says

"I can hardly imagine what it must've been like back then." Roxas says

"I'm sure this place has a long history to it." Draxon says

"Hey, Draxon, why don't we get on with some training?" Xion asks

Draxon turns and looks at Xion while she looks down at her right-hand, staring into her open palm.

"I've been wanting to work on my skills with the Keyblade. Ever since I've lost my ability to wield it. I feel like I need to freshen up and I want to be at my best when it's time to fight the Heartless again." Xion says

Xion grips her hand into a fist and brings it close to her chest. She then looks up at Draxon with a confident smile forming on her face.

"Come on! I bet I can take you!" Xion says

Draxon looks at Xion and stared at her in surprise. She obviously gave much thought about her ability to use the Keyblade and Draxon couldn't help but agree with her. He had felt the same way about wanting to improve his skills with the Keyblade and he had already seen some of the powers his Keyblade had bestowed upon him first hand. Ever since he began to wield the Keyblade, Draxon wondered what else he would discover. Could he wield even more powerful magic? Was there other techniques he could learn? There was no limit to the vastness of his incredible potential. With a confident smile of his own, he was more than willing to accept her challenge.

"Alright, Xion. I'm up for a challenge." Draxon says

While Draxon and Xion went to the opposite sides of the arena, the dragons laid down on the ground and made themselves comfortable. Roxas sat down with his back against Bristle's left-side and watched as his two friends prepared for their dueling match. Xion summoned her Keyblade into her hand and got into battle stance. Draxon summoned his Keyblade: Soul Calibur into his right-hand and spun it around two times before gripping it with both hands, holding the ancient weapon infront of him towards Xion. Both teens shared smug expressions with each other as they waited for the first to make their move.

Xion soon broke the stand-off and rushes toward Draxon with a frontal charge. She thrusts her Keyblade at Draxon, but he leaps over to the right, dodging the blow. Xion turns and swings her Keyblade at Draxon again with a left slash. Draxon quickly jumps back, dodging the blow again as it came inches away from his stomach. He then tries to counterattack with a downward slash, only to have the attack blocked by Xion, who held her Keyblade up over her head with both hands, putting the two teens into a blade-lock. The lock was soon broken when Xion swung Draxon's Keyblade away to the left, forcing him back.

Now, it was Draxon's turn to attack. He raises his Keyblade over his right-shoulder with both hands and takes a swing at Xion, who dodges the blow with a small jump to the right. Draxon missed her, but quickly spun around and swung his Keyblade with a reverse roundhouse slash. Xion barely had enough time to bring up her Keyblade and block the attack. However, the strong blow knocked Xion back a few feet. Draxon came at Xion again, offering several more strikes from his Keyblade. He attacks with a rising uppercut, a downward slash, four left and right slash, two spinning slashes, and an overhead strike. Xion dodged each of Draxon's blows leaning her body away and over to the sides, though she could barely keep up with Draxon's speed. She dodged Draxon's last strike by leaping over to the right, dived to the ground, and rolled back onto her feet, using her left-hand to catch herself.

Xion was surprised at how skilled Draxon was. His moves were fast and his blows were strong. She could instantly tell that Draxon wasn't holding anything back. Roxas leaned forward and stared at Draxon in surprise as well. He had no idea Draxon was this good with his Keyblade. And neither he nor Xion thought they would be able to match up to him.

Determined to continue her duel with Draxon, Xion rose onto her feet and took hold of her Keyblade. She rushes forward at Draxon and swings her Keyblade with a right slash. Draxon jumps back a few feet, dodging the blow which came inches from his chest. Xion follows up with an uppercut slash, but Draxon quickly leans his body to the right, continuing to avoid her attacks. Pushing on the assault, Xion kept up with her attacks, swinging her Keyblade multiple times at Draxon with fast speed. But even with her increased speed, she could not land a single hit on Draxon who dodges each blow that was thrown at him.

Eventually, Draxon leaps high into the air with a somersault, dodging a right slash from Xion's Keyblade. He flies over Xion and lands crouched down directly behind her. Moving quickly, he rises up, whirls around, and swings his Keyblade at Xion. Xion was barely able to bring her Keyblade up in defense of the incoming strike, but it knocked her back and made her stumble backwards. She soon lost her footing and fell down on her rump. Before Xion could rise up on her feet, Draxon stood before her, pointing his crystalline Keyblade at her head with a triumphant expression on his face. And just like that, the duel was over.

"Looks like I win." Draxon says

"Wow, Draxon. That was amazing." Roxas says

"Yeah. You're really good with your Keyblade, Draxon." Xion says

"Heh heh. I guess I am." Draxon says rubbing the back of his head with his left-hand

Draxon de-summons his Keyblade and extends his right-hand down to Xion, offering to help her up. Xion smiled and took hold of Draxon's hand as he pulled her up onto her feet.

"You weren't bad yourself, Xion. I'd say you've improved quite a bit with your Keyblade. Your speed has certaintly picked up a little." Draxon says

"Thanks, Draxon. But I don't think I'll be able to match up to your skills. You were pretty fast out there. The way you fight is incredible. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're the strongest out of the three of us." Xion says

"Nah. Don't sweat it. With some more practice and training, I'm sure you'll get more stronger." Draxon says

Xion smiled. She was glad to have Draxon as a friend. And although she lost her duel against him, his faith in her abilities inspired her even more to keep on training. Roxas was smiling as well seeing how great his two friends were getting along. As he sat against Bristle's side, he suddenly felt that there was someplace he needed to be. And that place was Twilight Town.

"Hey, guys. As much fun as it was exploring Berk, I'm gonna head over to Twilight Town and get some Sea-Salt Ice Cream." Roxas says

Draxon and Xion look over at Roxas.

"Okay cool. We'll catch up with you later." Draxon says

"Right." Roxas says

Roxas stretches his left-hand out to his side and a dark corridor opens up for him. Before heading in, he turns around to say farewell to his newly bonded dragon. Draxon and Xion watch along with their dragons. Roxas walks up to Bristle and places both hands on the Deadly Nadder's head. His left-hand on it's snout, the other on the side of it's jaw.

"Bristle, I'm glad I got to meet you. I have to go, but I'll be sure to come and visit whenever I can. I know the two of us are gonna be a great team. Be good while I'm gone, you hear me?" Roxas says

Bristle nods his head, understanding his rider. Roxas presses his head against the Deadly Nadder's snout. Bristle closes his eyes and crooned. After saying good-bye to his dragon, Roxas waved to Draxon and Xion who waved back, then headed into the dark corridor.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Roxas was now in Twilight Town walking into the Sandlot. There, he saw Hayner, Pence, and Olette hanging out together. Hayner was sitting on the ground with a ball next to him, panting exhaustingly.

"That was amazing, Hayner! A new record, for sure!" Pence says

"Ugh, man. Now I'm all tired." Hayner says

Olette noticed something in the corner of her eye.

"Hmm?" Olette says

Turning to her right, she saw Roxas standing not too far from them.

"Huh? Pence, who's..." Olette says

Pence and Hayner followed Olette's gaze and they saw Roxas as well.

"Oh, hey!" Pence says

Pence walks over to Roxas and greets him.

"How's it going?" Pence greets

"Hey." Roxas greets

"On your own today, huh? Oh, did you find your friend?" Pence asks

"Yeah. We found her." Roxas says

"That's good." Pence says

Olette walks over and looks at Pence.

"Is he a friend of yours, Pence?" Olette asks

"Yeah, sort of. I bumped into him a little while back." Pence says

Olette looks back at Roxas and introduces herself.

"Oh. Well, I'm Olette. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too." Roxas says

"And I'm Pence. But you already knew that. Heh heh." Pence chuckles

Roxas noticed Hayner still sitting on the ground but looked back at Pence and Olette.

"Um... what were you guys doing?" Roxas asks

"We were watching Hayner here practice his Grandstander act." Pence says

"Grandstander?" Roxas asks

"Yeah. Basically what you do is you hit the ball into the air and try to keep it from touching the ground." Olette says

"Oh. That sounds fun." Roxas says

Once he got his energy back, Hayner stood up and approached the trio.

"Hey, I remember you. You saved us from that dragon a while back, didn't you?" Hayner says

"Yeah. That was me." Roxas says

Roxas remembered the day when he and Draxon fought the Tailbunker. The two of them had managed to take down the Heartless and save the town.

"Although, I had some help." Roxas says as he thought about Draxon

Hayner looked at Roxas with a smirk came upon his face as he came up with an idea.

"You know, you seemed to have handled that dragon pretty well." Hayner says

Hayner tosses a Struggle Bat to Roxas, who instinctively catches it.

"Huh?" Roxas says looking at the bat confused

"But let's see how you do against a tough guy like me." Hayner says holding another bat in his right-hand

Roxas looked back and forth between Hayner and the Struggle Bat in his hands. He soon realized what Hayner was getting at. He was challenging him to a duel. Roxas looked over at Hayner with a confident smile and he got into battle stance.

"Okay. You're on." Roxas says

"Now we're talking!" Hayner says

Roxas and Hayner stood at both sides of the Sandlot and they faced each other.

Hayner started running straight towards Roxas, gripping the Struggle Bat with both hands. He was about halfway to Roxas, when he leapt forward with the Struggle Bat over his right-shoulder. Hayner swung his Struggle Bat down at Roxas, but his attack missed as Roxas dodged it by jumping back. Pushing on the offensive, Hayner swings his Struggle Bat left and right, followed by a short thrust. Roxas dodges the first two swings, then dodges the third with a small jump to the right.

Now, it was Roxas' turn to strike. After dodging the last blow, Roxas swung his Struggle Bat to the left, knocking Hayner's bat away. This left Hayner open for an attack. Catching him off guard, Roxas strikes with a right swing at Hayner's chest, knocking him back a bit. He follows up with a left swing, striking Hayner in the chest again. Then, he lands another hit with a reverse roundhouse swing, sending Hayner back even further. Hayner stumbled backwards after recieving the blow, but he soon regained his footing.

Hayner came back at Roxas, pushing on the offensive with some more strike attacks. He swings his Struggle Bat with a downward strike, but Roxas leans his body away to the right, dodging the blow. Hayner follows up with an uppercut swing. Again, Roxas dodges the attack by leaning his body over to the right. Still on the attack, Hayner strikes with a wide right swing. Roxas blocks against the blow with his Struggle Bat and counters the attack with a quick swing at Hayner's chest, knocking him back a few feet.

Roxas thrusts his Struggle Bat at Hayner with a lunging strike, landing a hit. He follows up with a downward swing and an uppercut swing. Then, he finishes with a roundhouse swing, which knocks Hayner down to the ground, thus finishing the friendly duel.

Hayner fell down on his rear and was about to stand back up, but he soon found Roxas' Struggle Bat pointed at him. The young teen looked up at the Nobody with a surprised expression. He looked down in defeat for a brief moment. Then, he glanced back up at Roxas with a smile on his face. Hayner rose up on his feet and congratulates Roxas on his victory.

"Heh, I guess you're all right. We're cool, man." Hayner says

"Thanks." Roxas says handing Hayner back his Struggle Bat

Pence and Olette walked up to the two boys, obviously impressed with Roxas' fighting techniques.

"You've got some real good moves." Pence says

"If you think I'm good, you should see my friend, Draxon fight. He fights like a pro. Trust me. I should know." Roxas says

"Huh. I'll be sure to keep an eye out for him. I'd like to duel him next and see for myself." Hayner says

"Isn't he always with you? The two of you seem pretty close. Where is he?" Pence asks

"Draxon had someplace to be. Which reminds me, I have to go." Roxas says

"All right. We should get going too." Hayner says

"Bye! Hope we'll see each other again soon!" Olette says

Roxas waved his hand to the three teens as they left. Once they were gone, he left to go get some Sea-Salt Ice Cream.

( _Moments later_ )

Hayner and Olette were up at the Train Station chasing Pence around.

"There he goes!" Hayner says

"I'll catch him!" Olette says

Pence stops for a brief moment to catch his breath.

"Huff, huff... Why... do we have to play games... that involve running?" Pence pants

Once he saw Hayner and Olette closing in on him, Pence took off running.

"You're not getting away that easily!" Hayner says

High up at the top of the Clock Tower, Roxas sat along the ledge and watched the three teens from above, all the while eating his ice cream. As he sat there, he heard a familiar voice speak to him.

"I knew you'd be here." The voice says

Roxas looks over to his left and saw Axel.

"Axel..." Roxas says

Axel walked over to Roxas and stretched his arms, letting out a yawn.

"Ahh... Slept like a log." Axel sighs

The red-haired Nobody sat down and took a seat next to Roxas. He then glanced down at Hayner, Pence, and Olette as they chased each other around.

"Are the kids here on summer vacation already? ...Nah, can't be. It's much too early." Axel says

"Summer Vacation? What's that?" Roxas asks

"It's a dream come true, that's what, where they get a whole month off." Axel says

Roxas look at Axel in surprise.

"A month off!? I wouldn't know what to do with that much time. I can't even figure out how to fill a day." Roxas says surprised

"You'd be surprised. They give you plenty of homework, and of course, you get to play with your friends everyday. Trust me, it's over before you can blink." Axel says

"Hmm... I can handle a week, maybe." Roxas says

Roxas and Axel glance down at Hayner and Olette as they point and laugh at Pence who was exhausted from running.

"Most kids spend their time just goofing off with their friends. They save the homework till the end and then help each other finish it." Axel says

"That sounds fun, I guess." Roxas says

"Hanging around with friends is fun. I'd forgotten all that since becoming a Nobody, I guess." Axel says

Axel looks over at Roxas.

"So, how did you spend your day?" Axel asks

Before Roxas could answer, the two Nobodies were greeted by Draxon and Xion.

"Hey, guys." Draxon says

"How did we know you'd be here?" Xion says

"And where have you two been?" Axel asks looking at the two teens

"Me and Xion went to Berk. Roxas was with us earlier. We got to say hi to our dragons. We even got Roxas his own dragon too." Draxon says

"Really? What kind was it?" Axel asks

"A Deadly Nadder." Roxas says

"It's great. Now, the three of us have dragons to ride. If we can just find you one, Axel, then we'll be a complete set." Draxon says

"Meh." Axel says shrugging his shoulders

"What's wrong? You don't want to ride a dragon of your own?" Draxon asks

"It's not that I don't want to. Don't get me wrong. I'd totally want to have a dragon like you guys. I just need more time to take it into consideration." Axel says

"Oh, okay." Draxon says

"What about you two? Did you guys do anything?" Xion asks

"Axel said he was asleep all day." Roxas says looking right at Axel

"What? What's' that about? You wasted a day off?" Xion says

"Unlike you two lazybones, I work hard, so I'm tired, okay?" Axel says

"Unlike me, Draxon, and Roxas, maybe you're just out of shape." Xion says

Draxon, Roxas, and Axel laughed a bit. The four friends turned and stared out at the sunset.

"Tomorrow, it's back to work." Axel says

"Yeah..." Roxas says

"Hope we get another vacation soon." Xion says

"Oh yeah... I might not see you guys again for a while." Axel says

Axel stands up and starts stretching while Draxon, Roxas, and Xion look at him with confused expressions.

"Huh?" Roxas says feeling confused

"Why not?" Draxon asks

"They're sending me out on recon for a few days." Axel says while stretching

"Where?" Xion asks

"Can't tell." Axel says putting a finger up

"What's up with that?" Roxas asks

"It's a secret mission. Classified." Axel says

"But I thought we were friends." Xion says

"Hey, I'm not about to tell you all my dark secrets." Axel says

Axel points to his head.

"Got it memorized?" Axel says

Roxas looks over at Draxon and Xion seeming even more confused.

"Dark secrets?" Roxas asks

Xion tilts her head slightly to the left while Draxon shrugs his shoulders.

"Ha ha. I'm kidding. I just gotta keep my mouth shut about it, or else Saïx will get on my case. You know how he can get." Axel says

"Yeah." Roxas says nodding his head in agreement

"Try not to bungle everything up while I'm gone, huh?" Axel says

"Now, why would we do that?" Xion asks in a smug tone

"Well, considering your track record, I just can't count on you guys." Axel says

"Hey!" Xion says

Axel laughs.

"We can handle things just fine!" Xion says

"That's right, just you watch!" Roxas says

Draxon, Roxas, and Xion all started laughing.

( _Later that day_ )

Axel was walking through the Castle That Never Was, heading back to his room when he heard a voice behind him.

"What took you so long?" A voice asks

Axel turns around and saw Saïx standing infront of him.

"It's my vacation. I can take all the time I want. Since when do I have to check in with you?" Axel says

Saïx walks up to Axel and stops alongside him.

"You're letting yourself get too attached to them." Saïx says

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say." Axel says looking away

Saïx looks at Axel, noticing the change in his attitude.

"You know, you've changed..." Saïx says

With that, Saïx left to attend to his own business, leaving Axel to his thoughts.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Time for a vacation! Draxon, Roxas, and Xion get to enjoy their first day off from all their hard missions. They take their vacation to Berk where they spend time with the Vikings and Dragons. They even go for a pleasant flight on their dragons. And now Roxas has his own dragon. A Deadly Nadder named Bristle. Our three heroes finally have their own dragons. Draxon and Xion engage in a little friendly duel to train on their skills. Roxas heads over to Twilight Town where he meets Hayner, Pence, and Olette. He even has a duel of his own against Hayner. The four Nobodies meet up again at their usual spot enjoying what little time they have left of their vacation. And now Axel has to go on a secret mission. What else does the future hold for our heroes? I already know what the future holds for us. As I'm sure we all know, KH3 is finally coming out next year. The trailers certaintly reveal a lot of surprises. Though a really shocking reveal was Aqua's fall to darkness. I guess that one more vessel of Darkness the Dark Lord of the Shadows has in his pockets. But aside from that note, the nostalgia from the trailers is killing me! I can't wait to see KH3 out for release. We've already seen much from the trailers like Frozen, Tangled, Monsters Inc, Toy Story, and Pirates of the Carribean, but who knows what else lies in store for us. Well, I can assure you all that when I start working on the storyline of Devon and his friends through KH3, it's gonna go off on a high note. Anyway, let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


	14. Work to do

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 ** _~ Day 119 ~_**

 ** _Work to do_**

( _The World That Never Was_ )

The vacation was over and Organization XIII was back to their daily missions. Draxon and Roxas entered the Grey Area and saw Xaldin, Luxord, and Xigbar in the room. Saix stood by the large window as usual, ready to give them their missions.

"Well, time to get back to work. Let's go see what our missions are for the day." Draxon says

Roxas nodded his head in acknowledgement and the two boys walked over to Saïx.

"Draxon, Roxas, you will both be carrying out seperate missions." Saïx says

Saïx looks over to Draxon on his right.

"Draxon, you are to depart for the Kalos Region to eliminate a Morning Star that has surfaced there. You are also to collect hearts from the Heartless while you're there." Saïx says

After giving Draxon his mission, Saïx looks left at Roxas.

"Roxas, you will head for the Beast's Castle with Xaldin. We need to learn more of the castle's master." Saïx says

Roxas nods his head, understanding his assigned task.

"You both have your missions. Best be on your way." Saïx says

Draxon and Roxas look toward each other and nod. A dark corridor opens up for Draxon and he heads off to his mission. Another corridor opens up for Roxas and Xaldin. The two Nobodies step into the dark portal and set off to their mission.

( _Beast's Castle_ )

Roxas and Xaldin step out of the dark corridor and arrive inside the Beast's Castle, entering the Entrance Hall.

"Hmph, still as dark and empty as ever. It's pratically a cave. A fitting lair for such a beast." Xaldin grunts

"The castle's master?" Roxas asks

"You've seen him, haven't you? Every inch a monster." Xaldin says

"So, you've done some exploring here on your own, then." Roxas says

"Yes... I suspect it was some kind of spell that left him in that state." Xaldin says

"A spell?" Roxas asks feeling confused

"The data we've collected suggests that he was human, originally. The exact sequence of events is unclear, but it was a spell that forced him to live as that... thing." Xaldin says

"Wow... That can't be good." Roxas says

"We're here to analyze, not sympathize. Let's begin our hunt for clues." Xaldin says

"All right." Roxas says

"We'll leave the beast's chambers for later. Let's search the rest of the castle first." Xaldin says

And so, Roxas and Xaldin began their mission, searching for any clues about the Beast. They start their search inside the Ballroom.

"What does the Beast use such a big, open room for?" Roxas asks

"This is a ballroom. And quite a lovely one, at that. No place for such a hideous creature as our host... And it seems he agrees with me." Xaldin says

"How do you figure?" Roxas asks

"There are Heartless here, but there are no traces of struggle in this room. It would mean that he's avoiding this place." Xaldin says

"It's pretty in here." Roxas says

"How would you compare this to the rest of the castle?" Xaldin asks

"Well... it's brighter, I guess. Most of the castle's pretty dark." Roxas says

"This room will be too, in time. Dark with the Beast's despair. Come. Let us take our search elsewhere." Xaldin says

Roxas and Xaldin leave the Ballroom and head up to the East Wing. Before he could go any further, Xaldin holds out his arm, stopping Roxas from heading out into the hallway.

"Wait... Something is near..." Xaldin says

The two Nobodies peer around the corner and see an upset Cogsworth in the hallway.

"Another day of the master skulking about the castle, chasing down those creatures... At this rate, he'll go the entire day without speaking to Belle at all... again. This cannot go on much longer. We're running out of time!" Cogsworth says

"Running out of time? For what?" Roxas asks

"Don't you see? This is one of the castle's residents. And like the Beast, a human once." Xaldin says

"So, he must be under the spell, too?" Roxas asks

"If I had to venture a guess. And from the sound of it, this spell came with a time limit." Xaldin says

"But what happens when time runs out?" Roxas asks

"What indeed?" Xaldin says

The two Nobodies hide within the darkness of the castle and watch as Cogsworth moves past them, disappearing down the stairs they came.

"Let's continue our search." Xaldin says

Moving out of the shadows, Roxas and Xaldin proceed down the hallway, approaching the door at the end.

"This door... It looks just like the Beast's." Roxas says

"Hmm... I sense someone inside. Whoever it is must be important enough to warrant accomodations as fine as the master's. Peer through the door and see who's it is, Roxas." Xaldin says

Roxas takes a peek through the creak of the door and he saw a woman inside. It was Belle.

"I wonder if he's off chasing those horrid creatures again. He's had to do that every day for weeks... I wish there was someway I could help. Maybe I should ask Cogsworth and the others. I'm sure we can figure something out together." Belle says

"There's a woman inside. And she's human!" Roxas says

"Really? And I thought this castle was all freaks and furniture. So, she must be Belle." Xaldin says

"How do you know?" Roxas asks

"All the servants speak highly of her. It's only fitting that a woman so well regarded should be given such fine lodgings." Xaldin says

"She sure is pretty." Roxas says

"Hmph. We've had a good look around. I believe we've gotten to know our Beast quite well. Roxas, you remember the way to his room?" Xaldin says

"I think so." Roxas says

"Take me there. It's time we paid a visit to his chambers." Xaldin says

Leaving the East Wing, Roxas and Xaldin head though the Entrance Hall and into the West Wing. As soon as they came into the first hallway, Xaldin stops Roxas again.

"Stop. We're not alone." Xaldin says

Hiding along the corner into the next hallway, Roxas and Xaldin peered inside and saw Lumiere talking to himself.

"It is horrible. This monstrous infestation has to end! If only there was someway we could be rid of them for good..." Lumiere says

Lumiere looks at himself.

"But like this... what can I do!? I don't even have hands to hold a sword!" Lumiere says

Lumiere hops further down the hallway while the two Nobodies watch him go.

"He must be like the others. Another human under the spell." Roxas says

"It would appear that everyone in this castle underwent some sort of transformation." Xaldin says

"How do you suppose they wound up under a spell?" Roxas asks

"Perhaps we may find some clue in the Beast's room." Xaldin says

Roxas and Xaldin watch as Lumiere hopped further down the hallway and out of sight.

"Let's get going." Xaldin says

Proceeding further into the West Wing, the two Nobodies noticed that the walls had gash marks and the floor was torn to shreds.

"There's gashes on the walls and the floor is torn up. Signs he fought here?" Roxas says

"Signs he fought hard. He fought tooth and claw to stop the Heartless here. There must be something of great importance up ahead." Xaldin says

Roxas and Xaldin continue on ahead and soon they approached the Beast's room.

"So, this is the Beast's room?" Xaldin asks

"Yeah." Roxas says

"Then, let's take a look inside." Xaldin says

The two Nobodies enter the room and look around. The Beast was nowhere in sight.

"The Beast's not here. He must be out." Roxas says

Looking ahead, Roxas notices something at the end of the room. It was the Enchanted Rose.

"Huh? What's that?" Roxas asks

"Well, well..." Xaldin says

Xaldin walks up and examines the rose intently.

"This rose... I sense a power within it. The Beast must hold it quite dearly." Xaldin says

Roxas walks over to Xaldin and looks upon the rose.

"We've made quite the discovery, haven't we?" Xaldin says

"You mean this rose? He obviously takes really good care of it." Roxas says

"Precisely, Roxas. This is no ordinary rose. To our host, it holds more value than anything else in this castle. This room is in tatters, save this one corner." Xaldin says

"It could be why he's been fighting the Heartless. He wants to protect the rose?" Roxas says

"Of course. Some strange power surrounds it. The Heartless are drawn to it." Xaldin says

"Then his fight is far from over..." Roxas says

"Our work here is done, Roxas. The Beast's weakness is clear." Xaldin says

"What?" Roxas asks

"To hold something dear is to let it control you. The Beast's heart is in thrall to this rose. And that, Roxas, is ample weakness." Xaldin says

"I'm not sure I follow." Roxas says

"Nor should you. You have no heart to love with." Xaldin says

Xaldin stretches his right-hand out to his side and a dark corridor opens up for him.

"Come. We are finished here." Xaldin says

Xaldin heads into the dark corridor and takes his leave. Roxas started to follow, but he stopped to look at the Enchanted Rose for a moment. Once he was done, the young teen walked into the dark corridor, leaving the Beast's Castle.

( _Lumiose City_ )

Draxon walked out of the dark corridor and arrived in Lumiose City inside an alleyway. The young teen moves out of the alley and into the street on South Boulevard. He looks over to his right where Prof. Sycamore's lab was.

"If there's any Heartless in this world, Prof. Sycamore might be able to tell me where I can find it." Draxon thought to himself

The Keyblade Wielder went over to the laboratory and headed inside. He steps into the main research lab where Prof. Sycamore was standing over at a computer with his Garchomp, talking with Alexa who was in Santalune City.

"Alexa, how are things looking over in Santalune City?" Prof. Sycamore says

"So far me and Viola have taken care of the few bit of Heartless that have shown up here, but it more keep popping up. I don't know how we can stop this or how long we can fend them off." Alexa says

"There must be a way to solve this." Prof. Sycamore says

"Gar." Garchomp growls

"Prof. Sycamore?" Draxon greets

"Hmm?" Prof. Sycamore says

The Pokémon Researcher and Garchomp turn around and see Draxon over at the doorway.

"Oh, Draxon. Nice of you to drop by. I was wondering when I'd see you again." Prof. Sycamore says

"How's Lumiose City holding up?" Draxon asks

"Great. The park is all fixed up from that last Heartless attack. The people and Pokémon couldn't be happier." Prof. Sycamore says

Suddenly, the conversation was interrupted by Alexa's voice on the computer.

"Prof. Sycamore? Hello?" Alexa calls

"Oh!" Prof. Sycamore says remembering Alexa

The Pokémon Researcher turns back to the computer and speaks to Alexa.

"Sorry, Alexa. I'm still here. A friend of mine just came to the lab. I'm sure he'd be willing to help you and Viola." Prof. Sycamore says

"We'll take any help we can get." Alexa says

"Give me one sec to speak with him." Prof. Sycamore says

Prof. Sycamore turns back to Draxon.

"Draxon, you're timing couldn't be better. I need your help." Prof. Sycamore says

"Let me guess. Heartless?" Draxon says crossing his arms

"Yes. They've appeared in Santalune City. Alexa and Viola have been holding them off for a while, but I'm not sure how long they can keep it up." Prof. Sycamore says

"There's probably a Heartless leader that's leading the other Heartless. Take down the leader and they all go down." Draxon says

"So there's a leader... Can you get over to Santalune City and give Alexa and Viola a hand?" Prof. Sycamore asks

"Consider it done." Draxon says

Prof. Sycamore nods his head, then turns back to the computer.

"Alexa, I'm sending Draxon to help you and Viola deal with the Heartless." Prof. Sycamore says

"Okay. We'll wait for him at the Santalune Gym." Alexa says

With that, Alexa hangs up the call. Prof. Sycamore let out a sigh while Draxon and Garchomp look at him.

"Professor, which way do I go to get to Santalune City?" Draxon asks

Prof. Sycamore turns and looks at Draxon with a serious expression on his face.

"Follow me outside. I'll show you where you need to go." Prof. Sycamore says

Draxon follows Prof. Sycamore and Garchomp outside to the street. Once outside, Prof. Sycamore points down the street.

"Head down this way to Route 4. It will get you straight to Santalune City." Prof. Sycamore says

"Route 4. Got it." Draxon says

"Good luck, Draxon." Prof. Sycamore says

"Garchomp." Garchomp growls

"Thanks, professor." Draxon says

With his path set, Draxon runs off down the street, setting off for Santalune City while Prof. Sycamore and Garchomp watch him go. Unknown to either of them, another Pokémon was watching the Keyblade Wielder from the skies above. It was Mew. The cat-like Pokemon had a concerned look on it's face and it decided to follow Draxon to Santalune City.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon made his way along Route 4 and eventually made it into Santalune City. He looked around for the Santalune Gym where Alexa and Viola said they would be waiting for him. The Keyblade Wielder soon saw the two sisters fighting a group of Soldier and Chomper Egg Heartless with their Pokémon, Vivillon and Noivern.

"Vivillon, use Tackle!" Viola commands

Vivillon flies straight toward a Soldier and rams into it.

"Vivi-llon!" Vivillon says using it's attack

The Heartless disintegrates upon impact and it's heart is released. Vivillon flies back up and around, ramming into another Soldier, destroying it as well.

While her sister dealt with the Soldier Heartless, Alexa and her Noivern focused on the Chomper Eggs.

"Noivern, use Bite!" Alexa commands

Noivern swoops down and grabs a Chomper Egg in it's jaws. It then crushes the Heartless with it's strong bite. Another Chomper Egg shoots a fireball at Noivern.

"Quick, Noivern, dodge it!" Alexa commands

Noivern quickly flies out of the path of the fireball as it shoots up into the air and detonates in a small explosion.

"Now counter with Dragon Pulse!" Alexa commands

Noivern's ears began to glow with a blue light, charging up with energy.

"Noi-vern!" Noivern says using it's attack

The dragon-like Pokémon soon shot a pulsing beam of blue light straight at the Chomper Egg. The attack completely overwhelms the Heartless, blasting it into oblivion.

The two sisters and their Pokémon were fighting well against the Heartless, but their efforts proved to be futile as more Heartless replaced the ones they had destroyed. And if that wasn't enough, the dark creatures began to stalk closer towards them. Alexa and Viola grunted in frustration and both they and their Pokémon braced themselves as the Heartless prepared to strike.

A Soldier leaps forward with it's claws to strike, heading straight for Alexa and her Noivern. But before it could reach them, a figure flies through the air in a somersault and slices through the Heartless with his crystalline Keyblade, splitting it vertically in half. He then lands crouched down on the ground infront of Alexa, Viola, and their Pokémon, who were stunned and amazed. The figure rises up and stands on his feet, revealing himself to be Draxon, who had a confident smile on his face.

"I heard you girls needed a hand." Draxon says

Draxon turned and faced the Heartless as they directed their attention toward him. The young teen spun his Keyblade around his body, then held it out infront of him with both hands, pointing it at the Heartless.

A Chomper Egg attacks first, shooting a fireball out from it's mouth at Draxon. As the fireball flew toward him, Draxon stood his ground, holding his Keyblade like a baseball bat over his right-shoulder. Timing it just right, Draxon swings his Keyblade, sending the fireball back at the Chomper Egg. The fireball hits the Heartless and explodes on impact, blasting it into oblivion. Another Chomper Egg shoots a fireball straight at Draxon. The young teen jumps over to the left, dodging the fireball as it explodes on the ground. He then runs toward the Heartless, leaps up, and slices through it with a spinning slash. The final Chomper Egg flies in and attacks Draxon with it's jaws. Draxon leans his body to the right, avoiding it's bite, and counters with a reverse roundhouse slash, destroying it with one strike.

With the Chomper Eggs defeated, only the Soldiers were left to vanquish.

One of the Soldiers swipes it's right-hand at Draxon using it's claws. Draxon quickly ducks down and leans over to the left, dodging the Heartless' claws. He then swings his Keyblade with a right slash, striking down the Soldier in one hit. Another Soldier leaps in and swipes it's claws at Draxon, but he jumps back and hurls his Keyblade with a vertical toss. The Keyblade impales the Heartless, stabbing through it's body, causing it to disintegrate and release it's heart into the sky. Draxon turns to the third Soldier in his view and rushes toward it at full speed. When he closed distance, he thrusts his Keyblade forward with a lunging strike, going through the Heartless.

The final Soldier leaps forward at Draxon and attacks with a spinning dropkick. Draxon jumps back just as the Heartless performs it's attack. The Soldier attacks with three more kicks. Draxon dodges the first two kicks by leaning his body left and right, then blocks the third kick with his Keyblade. The defense knocked the Heartless back with heavy recoil, leaving it stunned. Seeing his chance, Draxon rushed forward and attacked. He struck the Solder into the air with an uppercut slash, then leaps up, raises the Keyblade over his head, and slices the Heartless in half with a downward slash, finishing the fight.

Draxon lands crouched down on the ground with his Keyblade in both hands, his left-leg bent, and his right-leg stretched out to the side. Alexa and Viola were amazed at how Draxon dealt with the Heartless. Even their Pokemon were amazed. With the Heartless defeated, Draxon stands up straight and turns to face the two sisters and their Pokémon.

"You two alright?" Draxon asks

"Yeah. Thanks for showing up when you did. I wasn't sure how much longer we could hold out against those things." Viola says

The two sisters stepped forward and introduced themselves to the young teen.

"My name's Viola. I'm the Gym Leader for the Santalune Gym."

"And I'm Alexa. We're sisters."

Alexa and Viola introduce their Pokemon next.

"This is Vivillion, one of my Pokemon." Viola says gesturing to the Bug-type Pokémon

"Vivillion."

"And this is Noivern." Alexa says gesturing to the Dragon-type Pokémon

"Noivern."

"Nice to meet you both." Draxon says

Draxon places his left-hand on his chest, introducing himself.

"I'm Draxon."

"Draxon, huh? We've heard about you." Viola says

"You have?" Draxon asks slightly surprised

"Yeah. We saw you on the news fighting off the Heartless attack in Lumiose City. It was amazing how you've handled them. People have been talking non-stop about you." Alexa says

"Really?" Draxon asks even more surprised

"Yep. We've had trainers and their Pokémon come into town who've been talking about you." Viola says

Alexa looks down at Draxon's Keyblade with interest.

"And I take it that's your Keyblade?" Alexa says

Draxon looks down at his Keyblade as he held it in his right-hand.

"That's right. This is my Keyblade. The weapon I wield in my fight against the Heartless." Draxon says

"I've heard tales about the Keyblade. It's unbelievable how an ancient weapon like that can choose it's wielder. And it's powers are incredible. My friend, Ash Ketchum, told us about a very special friend of his who was a Keyblade Wielder much like you. I think he said his name was Devon." Alexa says

Draxon looked up at Alexa in surprise.

"You've heard about him too?" Draxon asks

"Yeah. Ash spoke much about Devon. His heroism at the Isle of Light saved countless people and Pokémon. It generated quite a buzz. There's probably not a single person that hasn't heard of him." Alexa says

"Wow... I had no idea he was really that famous." Draxon says

Draxon looked back down at his Keyblade. Again and again, he keeps hearing about Devon. The boy that wields the Keyblade like him. The name kept going through his mind. It felt familiar to him, but Draxon had no idea how.

 _"That name again. I keep hearing it in my head. It feels familiar. But how?"_ Draxon thought to himself

The two sisters noticed that Draxon was lost in his thoughts and they both looked at him with concerned expressions.

"Draxon? You alright?" Viola asks

Draxon snapped his head up as he was brought back into reality.

"Huh? Oh, sorry. I just zoned out for a bit. Uh... anyway, has there ever been any trouble with the Heartless lately?" Draxon asks

"Up until today, no. These... Heartless only showed up recently. We were able to take care of them with the help of our Pokémon. They came in small numbers at first, but then more kept appearing, replacing the ones we destroyed." Alexa says

"Any idea where they might be coming from?" Draxon asks

"They might be coming from Santalune Forest just down the road there." Viola says pointing to the road that led to the forest

"If the Heartless are coming from the forest, there's a good chance the Heartless that's leading them might be there also. I'll go and take out the leader." Draxon says

"Okay. We'll stay here if more Heartless show up." Viola says

"Good luck, Draxon." Alexa says

The young teen nods his head and heads out into the Santalune Forest to find and eliminate his target.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon was now walking down the path in Santalune Forest, looking around for the Heartless. Unknown to the young Nobody, Mew was following him, hovering only a few feet behind his back. As he kept on walking, Draxon couldn't help but feel as though he was being watched. He looked over to the right, but saw nothing. Mew shifted left just as Draxon turned his head. Draxon turned his head the other way, glancing toward the left. Still, he saw nothing. Mew hovered over to the right, moving out of the teen's field of view.

The Keyblade Wielder soon stopped in his tracks causing Mew to stop as well. He finally realized something was behind him. His eyes glanced off to the left not even bothering to turn his head. Draxon wasn't sure if it was the Heartless or some kind of Pokémon, but he stood perfectly still, preparing to make his move.

"Hmm..." Draxon says

Mew sensed what the young teen was about to do and it teleported away in a flash of light. Draxon quickly turned around and looked behind him, hoping to catch whatever was following him. Unfortunately, he saw nothing but the path he had been walking on. Draxon looked on in confusion. Mew reappeared behind a tree, peeking around the side, watching the teen curiously.

Suddenly, a large Heartless drops down from the trees, causing Draxon to turn back around. This Heartless was the Morning Star. With his target in sight, Draxon summons his Keyblade: Soul Calibur into his right-hand and gets into battle stance, ready to take on the Heartless.

The Morning Star retracts it's head, arms, and legs and started spinning like a top. Then, it spun towards Draxon in an attempt to ram him. Draxon quickly jumped and rolled over to the right, dodging the Heartless as it sped past him. The Morning Star came back around homing in on Draxon again, only to miss him as he moved out of the way. Once the Heartless stopped spinning, Draxon saw his chance to attack.

Draxon rushes forward at the Morning Star and slams his Keyblade into it's chest with a right slash. He follows up with several quick slashes, swinging his Keyblade left and right at the Heartless' chest. The Morning Star tries to hit the young teen with a right punch in an effort to counterattack. Draxon quickly leaps away to the left, jumps up, and strikes the Heartless' head with a reverse roundhouse slash. The Morning Star retracts it's hands into it's body, bringing out two large spike maces and raises them up over it's head. Draxon took a few steps back as he saw the large maces. Soon, the Morning Star swings it's maces down toward Draxon who immediately jumps away, dodging the attack. The two iron balls smash into the ground, creating a two medium-size craters.

The Morning Star retracts it's head, arms, and legs and began spinning again, heading straight for Draxon. The Keyblade Wielder leapt out of the way of the Heartless, dodging it's charging attack. The Heartless came back around and spun towards Draxon, who was still on the ground. Draxon looked and saw the Heartless quickly approaching him. He stood up to his feet and took hold of his Keyblade, holding it like a baseball bat. Just as the Morning Star reached him, Draxon swung his Keyblade left, sending the Heartless spinning back. The Morning Star soon stopped spinning and emerged from it's shell.

Draxon took his Keyblade with both hands and held it out infront of him. A bright blue orb of light began to appear on the tip of his Keyblade. Streams of light flowed into the orb, making it grow in size until it completely enveloped the Keyblade's head, becoming a large pulsing ball of light. As soon as the orb was charged, Draxon swung his Keyblade with a right swing, flinging it straight toward the Morning Star. The orb of light lands a direct hit on the Heartless, exploding in a spray of light on impact. The Morning Star was left stunned from the attack. Draxon leapt forward at the Heartless with his Keyblade raised over his head and struck it's body with a downward slash. He then follows up with a right uppercut slash, a left slash, and a roundhouse slash.

Eventually, the Morning Star recovers from the earlier attack and sets it's sights on Draxon. The Heartless threw a right iron ball punch at Draxon, but he leans over to the right, dodging the attack. He then leaned his body away to the left, dodging another punch. The Morning Star threw a third punch, only to have it dodged by Draxon as he leaps over to the right again. The Morning Star swung it's iron maces around in an attempt to hit Draxon, but the young teen leapt a good feet away from the Heartless.

Draxon held his Keyblade in both hands, staring down at the Morning Star. Suddenly, his body began to glow with a pure aura of blue light. The same light enveloped the Keyblade as well. Before the Heartless could make it's move, Draxon quickly charges towards it and strikes with a dashing thrust, going through the Heartless. He teleports away and strikes the Morning Star again with another charging strike. Draxon follows up with five more thrusting strikes, teleporting around the Heartless with each strike. After hitting the Morning Star with a seventh strike, Draxon teleports away and reappears above the Heartless with his Keyblade raised over his head. Within moments, he brings his Keyblade down on the Morning Star, slicing it in half.

The Morning Star falls apart and disintegrates, releasing it's captured heart. Mew had watched the whole fight and was amazed. It even watched as the heart floated up into the sky and disappear. Mew wondered where the heart had disappeared to, but it's thoughts drifted when it shifted it's gaze back on Draxon. The young teen, who was crouched down after delivering the final blow, rose up and let out a sigh of relief.

"Well, that takes care of that." Draxon says

Just as Draxon was about to leave, he heard a voice nearby.

"Mew!"

"Huh?" Draxon says

Draxon turned around and the small Pokémon fly towards him. Mew came up close to his face with a cheerful expression. The Keyblade Wielder watched in surprise as Mew flew around him.

"Mew! Mew!" Mew exclaims happily

"Hello. What are you? Are you some kind of Pokémon?" Draxon says

"Mew! Mew! Mew!" Mew says

"Mew... Is that your name?" Draxon asks

The small Pokémon nodded it's head.

"Nice to meet you, Mew." Draxon says

Mew flew around Draxon a couple times, exclaiming it's name happily.

"Mew! Mew! Mew! Mew!" Mew exclaims

"Heh heh. You're a cute little Pokémon, aren't you?" Draxon chuckles

Suddenly, the disembodied crystal orb in Soul Calibur emits a brief flash of light, catching Mew's attention. Draxon noticed this as well and he held his Keyblade out infront of him. Mew flew up close to the Keyblade, eyeing it with a curious expression.

"Mew..." Mew says in curiosity

"Mew, you know what this is?" Draxon says

Mew nodded it's head to Draxon, telling him it knew of the Keyblade and it's incredible powers. The young teen stared at the small Pokémon for a moment, then stared down at his Keyblade.

 _"I guess Pokémon can sense the Keyblade's power too."_ Draxon thought to himself

Having lost himself in his encounter with Mew, Draxon nearly forgot about his mission.

"Well, the Heartless are gone. I'd better let Alexa and Viola know." Draxon says

Draxon was about to head out when he turned and looked back at Mew.

"You want to come along, Mew?" Draxon asks

"Mew! Mew!" Mew exclaims happily

"Alright. Let's go." Draxon says

With Mew tagging along, Draxon heads out of the forest, traveling down the road back to Santalune Town.

( _Moments later_ )

Alexa and Viola were standing outside the Santalune Gym, waiting for Draxon's return from the forest. They soon saw the young teen walking towards them.

"Draxon, you're back." Alexa says

"The leader's been dealt with. You won't have to worry about the Heartless for a while." Draxon says

"That's great. Thanks, Draxon." Alexa says

"We owe you one." Viola says

The two sisters soon saw Mew flying up behind Draxon, looking at them curiously. They were both surprised and amazed when they saw the small Pokémon floating next to the Keyblade Wielder.

"No way. Is that Mew?!" Alexa says amazed

"Yeah. I met Mew after I took down the Heartless leader. You know about it?" Draxon asks

"Mew is one of the many Legendary Pokémon that inhabit our world." Alexa says

"Legendary Pokémon?" Draxon asks feeling confused

"They're extremely rare and powerful." Viola says

"Mew? A Legendary Pokémon?" Draxon says looking at the small Pokemon

Mew hovers over to Draxon and nuzzles itself against his right-cheek.

"Mew." Mew says

"Well, it sure seems to like you." Viola says

Draxon watched Mew as it showed him some affection. The young teen placed his left-hand on Mew's head and gently rubbed it's back. Mew really enjoyed the rubs it was recieving and it cooed in content.

"Mew." Mew says feeling content

The Keyblade Wielder noticed Mew's reaction to his touch and a small smile crept on his face.

"Yeah. It sure does." Draxon says

"So, Draxon, where will you go now?" Alexa asks

"Back to Lumiose City. I feel like I should let Prof. Sycamore know what happened." Draxon says

"Good idea." Alexa says

"Well, thanks for helping us out with the Heartless." Viola says

"No worries. If the Heartless start causing trouble again, contact Prof. Sycamore and he'll let me know the next time I'm around." Draxon says

Alexa and Viola both nod their heads in acknowledgement.

"Okay. I better take-off. Later." Draxon says waving his hand to the two sisters

As he turned to leave, the young teen looks up at the small Pokémon hovering next to him.

"C'mon, Mew." Draxon says

"Mew." Mew says

Having helped Alexa and Viola defeat the Heartless in Santalune City, Draxon heads down the road back to Lumiose City with his new friend, Mew following close behind.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon and Mew arrive back in Lumiose City walking down the street, approaching Prof. Sycamore's Lab. They pass through the open gates and head into the building. Entering through the front door, they come into the main lobby. Everything was quiet.

"Professor? Prof. Sycamore?" Draxon calls

Nobody replied.

"Maybe he's not around." Draxon says

Just then, a woman dressed in a researcher's uniform enters the lobby from the hallway on the left. It was Sophie, one of Prof. Sycamore's assistants.

"Hello. May I help you with something?" Sophie asks

"Hi, I'm Draxon. I was hoping to see Prof. Sycamore. Is he here?"

"Draxon? Oh, the professor mentioned you. Yes, he's here. He's tending to the Pokémon." Sophie says

"He's not too busy, is he? He sent me to deal with the Heartless in Santalune City. I'm just here to report back to him." Draxon says

"No, he's just feeding the Pokémon. Follow me." Sophie says

Sophie heads into the hallway on the right, leading Draxon and Mew through the lab to the greenhouse area. Once they got to there, they could see Prof. Sycamore along with the Pokémon that was in his care. All of the Pokémon, including Garchomp, was enjoying bowls of Pokémon food. Prof. Sycamore had finished giving out food to the other Pokémon and was just setting down a bowl for Marill and Azurill.

"There you go. Enjoy." Prof. Sycamore says

"Marill." Marill says

"Azurill." Azurill says

"Professor, Draxon is here to see you." Sophie says

"Hm?" Prof. Sycamore says

The Pokémon Researcher turns around and saw the Keyblade Wielder approaching him while Sophie left to tend to other errands in the lab.

"Oh, Draxon. Good to see you made it back. I guess that means everything's all well in Santalune City?" Prof. Sycamore says

"Yep. All the Heartless there have been dealt with." Draxon says nodding his head

"That's wonderful news. I knew I could count on you." Prof. Sycamore says

The Pokémon Researcher soon notices Mew hovering just behind Draxon. He was surprised to see a Legendary Pokémon in Draxon's company, but he still kept his calm exterior.

"Oh, I see you've made a new friend." Prof. Sycamore says

Draxon looks over his right-shoulder at Mew, then looks back at Prof. Sycamore.

"Yeah. This is Mew. Alexa and Viola said that Mew is a Legendary Pokemon. You wouldn't happen to know anything about it, would you?" Draxon asks

"Well, of course I know about Mew. It is one of the many Legendary Pokémon that inhabit our world after all. Mew is one that comes from the Kanto region." Prof. Sycamore says

"The Kanto region? But this is the Kalos region. What's it doing here?" Draxon asks

"My guess is that it was trying to find a friend. Like you." Prof. Sycamore says

"Me?" Draxon says confused

Draxon looks back at Mew as it flies around him, sharing glances with him.

"Mew?" Mew says cocking it's head sideways

"You know, I've heard a rumor about it once. It's been said that Mew appears to people who are pure of heart." Prof. Sycamore says

"Pure of heart..." Draxon says

Draxon looks down at his chest and places his right-hand over it. A solumn expression forms on his face as he knew that he was a Nobody. And as he remembered well, Nobodies don't have hearts.

"But I don't have a heart..." Draxon says quietly

Prof. Sycamore and Mew both saw the change in Draxon's expression and they looked at him in concern.

"Mew?" Mew says flying up close to Draxon

"Draxon? Are you okay?" Prof. Sycamore says

Draxon shook his head and straightened himself.

"It's nothing. Look, I'm glad I was able to help, but I've got someplace I need to be. So I'll be seeing you around, professor." Draxon says

"Okay. Well, take care of yourself, Draxon." Prof. Sycamore says

Draxon nodded his head and took his leave with Mew following him out. The young teen walked down the street and into a nearby alley. Once they were away and out of sight, Draxon stretches his right-hand out infront of him and a corridor of darkness opens up infront of him.

"Okay. Time to call it a day and head on out." Draxon says

"Mew." Mew says

Draxon turns and looks over at Mew.

"Oh, right. Mew. I almost forgot about you." Draxon says

Draxon glances over at the dark corridor, then looks back at Mew. He wasn't sure if he could bring Mew along with him back to the Organization. It was hard enough having a pet dragon on Berk. But having a Legendary Pokémon as a companion didn't seem so bad either. After all, if the people here could have Pokémon, why couldn't he? Having Mew around with him, Roxas, Xion, and Axel would make life in the Organization all the more pleseant. And there was no doubt that Mew had it's own ways of dealing with the Heartless.

"Hey, Mew, I've got to go meet up with some friends. You wanna go with me?" Draxon asks

"Mew! Mew!" Mew exclaims happily

"Alright! Then, let's go!" Draxon says

With that said, Draxon heads into the dark corridor with his Pokémon companion following close behind.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Xion was sitting at the top of the clock tower by herself, eating Sea-Salt Ice Cream. She had already finished her mission and was waiting for Draxon and Roxas to show up. She was soon greeted by Roxas, who came from around the corner.

"You're here early." Roxas says

"Work was easy today." Xion says

"I guess Axel's still on that classified mission, huh?" Roxas says

"Yeah. And Draxon has shown yet either." Xion says

Roxas walks over behind Xion and takes a seat alongside her.

"He must still be on his mission. But I'm certain he'll turn up eventually." Roxas says

As if right on cue, Draxon appears from around the corner.

"Hey, guys." Draxon greets

"Hey, Draxon." Xion greets

"Hey." Roxas says

"Sorry if I'm a little late. I had double duty." Draxon says

"We're just glad you made it." Xion says

Draxon walks over and sits down next to Xion. As he sat down, Roxas and Xion couldn't help but notice he had two Sea-Salt ice cream bars in his hands.

"Hey, Draxon, how come you got two ice cream bars?" Xion asks

"Oh, let's just say I made a new friend while I was out on my mission." Draxon says

"A new friend?" Roxas asks

"Yeah. Hey, Mew. Come meet my friends." Draxon says

Suddenly, Mew appears in a flash of light infront of the three teens.

"Mew! Mew!" Mew exclaims happily

"Whoa!" Roxas exclaims in surprise nearly falling backwards

Mew giggled at Roxas' surprised reaction.

"Roxas, Xion, this is Mew." Draxon says

Draxon held one of the ice cream bars in his hand out to the small Pokémon, offering it to Mew. Mew hovers over to Draxon and takes hold of the Sea-Salt Ice Cream with it's small arms. The small Pokémon sniffed the ice cream a once or twice and eventually took a bite. Mew definitely enjoyed the flavored ice cream as it spun around in the air and performing backflips in loops.

"Mew! Mew! Mew!" Mew exclaims happily

"Aw, Draxon, it's cute." Xion says

"Where did you find it?" Roxas asks

"In Kalos. It's where I went for today's mission." Draxon says

"Isn't that place where people and Pokémon live together?" Xion asks

"Yep. I just happened to come across Mew during my mission while I was out hunting Heartless." Draxon says

"First, dragons. Now, Pokémon?" Roxas jokes

"Heh. I know, right?" Draxon says taking a bite out of his ice cream

"So where'd they send you, Roxas?" Xion asks looking to her right

"The Beast's Castle, with Xaldin. You remember the castle's master, right?" Roxas says

"Yeah, the beast we saw." Xion says

"Well, you were right. He does have something he wants to protect. Something he cares about." Roxas says

"Really?" Xion asks

"Yeah, but Xaldin says that's a weakness." Roxas says

"Why would caring about something be a weakness?" Xion asks

"I don't know. I didn't get it either." Roxas says

"I hope Axel comes home soon." Xion says

Draxon stared down at his ice cream with a bit of a worried expression.

"Yeah. Same here." Draxon says

Mew looked over at Draxon with a look of concern on it's face. Draxon looked up at Mew, taking notice of it's concern for him. The young teen reaches out to the small Pokémon and strokes it's chin with his left-index finger. Mew enjoyed the chin rubs it was recieving and it cooed with content. Draxon smiled a bit at the small Pokémon's reaction, putting him more at ease.

Together, the three teens and Mew continued eating their ice cream while staring out at the sunset.

( _The World That Never Was_ )

In the Castle That Never Was, Xemnas stood at the top of Altar's Naught, staring up at Kingdom Hearts. He was then paid a visit by Saïx.

"Lord Xemnas. I have some news regarding Draxon. He has come into possession of a pet Pokémon named Mew." Saïx says

Xemnas closed his eyes and gave Saïx a calm response.

"I know." Xemnas says

"Should I dispose of it?" Saïx asks

"No. This creature seems to understand the pure qualities of the heart. Not only that, a mysterious power swells within it. I have sensed this power and it piques my interest. A creature such as this could prove useful to our Organization. We will allow Draxon to keep his precious pet." Xemnas says

"As you wish." Saïx says with slight bow

With that, Saïx took his leave while Xemnas continued to stare up at the heart-shaped moon.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** It's now back to work for Organization XIII and Draxon, Roxas, and Xion continue their daily missions. But in the Pokemon World, Draxon comes across a very mysterious Pokemon: Mew! Now, Mew joins in on the party, obviously taking a liking to Draxon! Now, the heroes have another friend to add to their group. Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


	15. Unlike Minds

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 _ **~ Day 149 ~**_

 _ **Unlike Minds**_

( _The World That Never Was_ )

A month has passed for Organization XIII with no problems whatsoever. Draxon, Roxas, and Xion went about their missions as usual, hunting down Heartless and collecting hearts. Mew was now part of the Organization and was put under Draxon's care.

Draxon and Roxas walked into the Grey Area, ready to recieve their next missions. Mew flew up to Draxon's side, ready to follow him wherever his mission would take him. The two teens and the small Pokémon approached Saïx and he gave them their missions.

"Draxon, Roxas, I'm sending you both to new worlds today. Your missions are to eliminate the Heartless that have surface in these worlds and collect their hearts. Now, get to it." Saïx says

The two boys nodded their heads in acknowledgement and went off to their missions.

( _Halloween Town_ )

In Halloween Town, just outside Guillotine Gate, Jack Skellington was pacing back and forth with his bony hand to his head, planning the next Halloween festivities. Unfortunately, he was at a loss.

"No... It's still missing something! Something new. Something fresh! I want this Halloween to be a festival of fantastical frights! Hmm... There must be something." Jack says

Jack soon heads back into town just as Roxas steps out to begin with his mission. He examines his surroundings, taking note of the dark, creepy environment. He also noticed that the sky was constantly dark at night with the full moon illuminating the entire town.

"This town is pretty dark. I can almost imagine the Heartless having a run of the place." Roxas says

Roxas looked on ahead and saw the path that led straight on towards Halloween Town. He followed the path and it brought him into Guillotine Square, which was the center of the town. As soon as he came into town, he saw several small bug-like Heartless scurrying about the area. These Heartless were known as Creeper Worms. With his targets in sight, Roxas summons his Keyblade into his hands and got to work on dealing with the Heartless.

Roxas dashes toward four Creeper Worms near the fountain and takes out the first one down with a charging strike, swinging his Keyblade with an uppercut slash. He then strikes down the other three Creeper Worms with three quick blows, destroying the Heartless on his left with a left slash, the other with a right slash, and the last one with a downward slash.

After doing away with the first group, Roxas moves on to the next group of Creeper Worms which were near the entrance to the graveyard. He rushes forward at the first Creeper Worm and cuts through it with a spinning slash. The young teen targets the next Heartless that was close by and brings his Keyblade down on it with an overhead strike. Two Creeper Worms scurried away from Roxas, but he quickly strikes them down with two blows. Roxas sets his sights on a fifth Heartless which was already a couple feet away from him. Turning around, he aimed his Keyblade at the fleeing dark creature and launches a single fireball at it, blasting the Heartless into oblivion.

Roxas managed to defeat all the Creeper Worms in the square. All except one. The young teen looked ahead of him and saw the bug-like Heartless scurry off towards the graveyard. Not intent on letting the dark creature escape, Roxas immediately took off in pursuit.

The Creeper Worm quickly scurried along the ground in the graveyard, but it did not get very far as Roxas jumps in and brings his Keyblade down on it, destroying it right on the spot. He was then greeted by five ghost-like Heartless which appeared infront of him. These Heartless were Hover Ghosts. Roxas quickly got back into battle stance as he faced his new targets.

Roxas attacked the first Hover Ghost in his view, striking it with a right uppercut slash, a left and right slash, and a downward slash before finishing it off with a spinning slash. The young teen turned to his left and jumped away, dodging another Hover Ghost that swiped it's claws at him. Roxas countered the attack with a right slash, knocking the Heartless back. He follows up with a downward slash and an uppercut slash, then destroys it with a thrusting strike, going through the Heartless. Roxas got back up and targeted the next Hover Ghost ahead of him. He was about to make his move when the Heartless suddenly disappeared into thin air, vanishing from sight. The teen looked around at his surroundings, trying to keep an eye out for any sign of the Hover Ghost, knowing that an attack could come from anywhere. It wasn't long until the Heartless appeared behind Roxas, swiping both claws at him. Roxas sensed the Hover Ghost was behind him and he quickly leapt back, dodging it's claws. Sliding backwards to a stop, he threw his Keyblade at the Heartless, slicing it in half across it's body. Roxas turned to the last two Hover Ghosts that floated infront of him. He aimed his Keyblade at the Heartless on the left shot a fireball in it's direction, blasting it into oblivion. Then, he launches an ice blast at the other Heartless, freezing it on the spot. Roxas dashes toward the frozen Hover Ghost and smashes it to pieces with one strong blow, swinging his Keyblade with a reverse roundhouse slash.

Having completed his mission, Roxas headed back to the entrance to Halloween Town. Once he got there, he stretched his right-hand to open up a dark corridor. At the same time, three mischevious kids approached Roxas from behind. These three were Lock, Shock, and Barrel.

"Trick or treat!" The three kids say in unison

"Huh!?" Roxas says

Roxas turns around to face the kids, only to have a pumpkin bomb thrown in his face by Lock.

"Waugh!" Roxas exclaims covering his face with his arms

"Ah ha ha ha! We got you!" Lock teases

The three kids run off laughing at their prank while Roxas stood there confused.

"What was that about? Ah, forget it. I should be getting back." Roxas says

And so, Roxas walks into the dark corridor and disappears into the darkness. As soon as he was gone, Jack Skellington walks into the area, still lost in his ideas for Halloween.

"Something fresh... Something trembling with terror, erupting with excitement! Hmm... Mmm?" Jack says

Jack looks ahead of him and caught a glimpse of the dark corridor vanishing into thin air.

"What was that? A swirl of sinister smoke, there one minute, then gone... That's never been here before." Jack says

Jack put his bony hand to his head as he tried to contemplate on what he had just seen.

"Something unfamiliar popping up in a familiar place... Popping..." Jack says

After a few moments of thinking, the Pumpkin King soon had his idea for Halloween Town.

"Eureka!" Jack exclaims in excitement

( _Meanwhile_ )

After pulling their prank on Roxas, Lock, Shock, and Barrel stop in the graveyard.

"That was fun! Wonder who it was." Lock says

"Don't know! Don't care!" Shock says

"If we see him again..." Barrel says

"We'll hit him with another trick!" Lock says

Lock and Shock head further off into the graveyard, likely up to more mischief. Barrel was about to join them when he looks over to the right and saw something on the ground. He walks over to the spot and looks down at the ground.

"Huh? What's this thing?" Barrel asks

Barrel soon calls Lock and Shock over to him.

"Hey! Come see this!" Barrel says

( _The Dragon Realms_ )

It was a beautiful day in the Dragon City of Warfang and everything was peaceful. It had been months since the city had been devastated by the war against Malefor, but it was now undergoing the long process of rebuilding it's former splendor. Most of the city was already look good as new, but there were still the minor exceptions of partially or completely destroyed buildings here and there. The dragons and moles that lived in the city worked hard to rebuild their lives and clean everything up. But out of all the buildings in the city, there was one that stood out above the rest. It was the new Dragon Temple, which was easily the largest building in the whole city.

The temple was built out of beautiful sandstone to accomodate the three remaining Dragon Guardians. It was also home to other dragons who were looking to discover their hidden power. Two dragon statues stood at the stone gates. Passing through the gates led into the entrance hall which had paintings of dragons of the past and present.

A corridor on the other side of the room led into another hall which housed a large statue of a majestic dragon sitting on it's haunches with it's wings out and it's tail laid around it's left-side. Colorful banners of red, blue, yellow, and green were hung around the walls to represent each element. The ceiling above the statue was stained glass made up of various colors.

Passing the dragon statue led into a large, open courtyard. From here, the area splits into five corridors: two on each side and one at the opposite end. The corridors on the sides led to training arenas and rooms for dragons. But the corridor at the far end of the courtyard led into a chamber which was housed a new Pool of Visions. This pool was large and filled with clear, crystal blue water. Another corridor at the other side of the pool led straight into another chamber. One that was sacred to the dragons. This was the Chamber of Ancients which was the heart of the temple. Inside this chamber was a large cluster of blue Spirit Gems. Around the room sitting in nests were dragon eggs. All of the eggs were kept under the protection of the crystal's magic, keeping them safe and warm.

Inside the room just outside the Chamber of Ancients, the three Dragon Guardians, Terrador, Volteer, and Cyril were standing around the Pool of Visions discussing the repairs to the Dragon City. Also with them was the cheetah, Hunter.

"My friends. It's been months since the war against Malefor has ended and still the Heartless continue to dampen our relief efforts." Terrador says

"It's difficult having to repair the city without those dreadful creatures causing trouble. They're turning up at almost every corner in Warfang. At this rate, we'll never the city restored." Cyril says

"Surely there must be someway to resolve this situation." Volteer says

"Some of my fellow cheetahs are keeping watch for any more attacks." Hunter says

"Still, I don't believe that will be enough to fend off the Heartless. We'll have to assemble more guards to ensure they don't endanger the workers." Terrador says

( _Meanwhile_ )

Elsewhere in the temple, Sparx, the dragonfly, was buzzing through the hallways, feeling a bit down in the dumps. It had been a long while since he had to part ways from his adoptive brother, Spyro, and he missed the Purple Dragon. He wanted to go along with Spyro and Cynder to help Devon with his journey, but Spyro felt that he should remain in the Dragon Realms as he didn't want anything to happen to the dragonfly. It was just too dangerous for him. Sparx understood that when he couldn't bypass the Ring of Shadows and he honored his brother's wishes.

"Spyro... I miss ya buddy 'ol pal. I hope you're doing alright." Sparx says with a sigh

Suddenly, a voice called out to Sparx.

"Hey, Sparx." A female voice calls

Sparx turned around and saw two young dragons. A pink dragoness named Ember. And a red dragon named Flame.

"Oh, hi, Ember. Hey, Flame." Sparx greets waving his hand

"Are you alright? You look a little down. What's wrong?" Ember asks concerned

"It's... nothing." Sparx says shaking his head

Ember and Flame both looked at each other, then looked back at Sparx. They knew who he was thinking about.

"It's about Spyro, isn't it?" Flame asks

Sparx knew that there was no fooling the two dragons.

"Yeah." Sparx says with a sigh

Ember walks closer to the dragonfly.

"Aw, Sparx. We know you miss him. Don't worry. I'm sure they'll come around for a visit someday." Ember says

"We were just about to take a stroll through the streets of Warfang. To check and see how the city is doing with the repairs. You wanna come along with us?" Flame asks

The dragonfly gave it some thought and he felt it wouldn't hurt to go get some fresh air.

"Sure. Okay. Beats fluttering around and moping all day." Sparx says shrugging his shoulders

Sparx felt a little bit better now since he had good friends like Ember and Flame. And so, the dragonfly went along with the pink dragoness and red dragon as they went out into the city.

( _Meanwhile_ )

Draxon steps out of the dark corridor and arrives in the Dragon City with Mew, ready to begin his mission of Heart Collection. He looks around his surroundings and found himself standing at the city entrance with the large gates just behind him.

"Another world." Draxon says

"Mew..." Mew says

"Yeah, I know." Draxon says

The two noticed that some of the buildings in the city had been reduced to rubble.

"Looks like this city got pretty banged up. I wonder what happened here. Well, we're here to eliminate some Heartless. Let's take a look around. No doubt they're lurking nearby." Draxon says

Draxon and Mew began their mission and walked down the streets of Warfang, searching for any Heartless that might be lurking in the city. As they moved further into the city, the Keyblade Wielder noticed that the walls had pictures of dragons carved into the stonework.

"These walls have dragons carved into them." Draxon says

He also noticed some dragon statues nearby sitting on their haunches standing proud with their wings spread open.

"And these statues. Do dragons live in this city?" Draxon says

While Draxon was observing the statues, Mew sensed something was wrong.

"Mew?" Mew says

Mew was looking off toward another street that led into another area. It was in that instance that three Gargoyle Heartless took off down the street across from where Draxon and Mew were.

"Mew!" Mew exclaims

Draxon heard Mew's cry and turned his attention toward it.

"What is it, Mew? You see something?" Draxon asks

"Mew! Mew! Mew!" Mew says pointing to where the Heartless went

The young teen looked to the street that Mew was pointing at, then looked back at Mew.

"Was it Heartless?" Draxon asks

"Mew. Mew." Mew says nodding it's head

"Alright. Let's go." Draxon says

With that said, the Keyblade Wielder and Pokémon took off down the street. Mew went up ahead while Draxon followed close behind. As they came around the corner, they saw a group of Gargoyle Heartless surrounding two dragons and a dragonfly. It was Ember, Flame, and Sparx.

"Oh no! Not these things again!" Sparx groans

"Stay behind us, Sparx." Ember says

"We'll deal with these monsters." Flame says

One of the Gargoyles made the first move, lashing out at the trio with it's claws. Ember and Flame leapt away from the Heartless just as it swiped it's claws at them. Sparx quicky zipped away with the two dragons. Ember launched a fireball from her mouth and blasted the Gargoyle into oblivion.

"Hey! I did it!" Ember cheers

"Ember, watch out!" Flame warns

Ember looked over to her right and saw another Gargoyle charging up a ball of dark energy in it's craggy maw. It threw it's head back and shot the dark projectile in her direction.

"Aah!" Ember exclaims

The pink dragoness quickly jumped out of the way of the dark ball just as it hit the ground where she once stood. She lands next to Flame, who moves infront of Ember and shoots a fireball from his mouth, destroying the Heartless that made the attack. The Heartless began to close in on the trio. Soon, one of the Gargoyles flew forward and attacked. It's right-claw poised to strike. Ember, Flame, and Sparx braced themselves for the oncoming attack. The pink and red dragon used their wings to shield themselves while Sparx covered his eyes.

But before it could reach them, the Heartless was sliced in half from across the torso and it disintegrated. When they felt nothing came, the two dragons and dragonfly looked ahead of them and saw only the floating heart as it slowly ascended into the sky before fading away.

"Huh? What happened?" Ember asks confused

Then, the trio saw Soul Calibur flying over their heads. The crystal Keyblade shined it's glowing blue light as it soared through the air. It was soon caught by Draxon, who held it in his right-hand over his head. The Heartless immediately turned their attention to the young teen as he stood ready to fight them.

"Whoa... Who's that?" Flame asks

One of the Gargoyles flies toward Draxon and swings it's right-claw at him. The young teen quickly jumps over to the left and brings his Keyblade down on the Heartless, slicing it into oblivion. Flame took another glance at Draxon and he noticed the glowing crystal Keyblade in his hand.

"No way! He's a Keyblade Wielder!" Flame exclaims in surprise

"What?!" Ember says in surprise

Sparx looked at the two young dragons, then looked over at Draxon, surprised by what he had heard.

Two Gargoyles close in on Draxon and went on the assault, taking turns attacking the Keyblade Wielder. The first Gargoyle swipes it's claws at Draxon aiming for his head and chest. The young teen quickly leans his body left, right, and back, then counters the attack with a right slash, slicing the Heartless in half across from the waist. The second Gargoyle charges up a fireball in it's maw, preparing to launch it at Draxon. Once it was fully charged, the Heartless pulls it's head back and thrusts it forward, sending the fireball straight towards the Keyblade Wielder. Draxon takes up his Keyblade and holds it over to his right-side like a baseball bat, bracing himself as the fireball drew closer. With perfect timing, Draxon swings his Keyblade and deflects the fireball back at the Gargoyle, destroying it with it's own attack.

Another Gargoyle enlarges it's wings and thrusts them at Draxon, but he ducks down and counters with an uppercut slash whilst performing an backflip, destroying the Heartless as it passes over him. As he springs into the air, Draxon flips upright and spins around swinging his Keyblade to the right, launching a barrage of multiple blue knives of light. The attack lands numerous hits on the six remaining Gargoyles which had still surrounded Ember, Flame, and Sparx. The knives stab into each of the Heartless and they explode in a flash of light, obliterating the dark creatures. The two dragons and dragonfly shielded themselves, hoping they wouldn't get hit by the glowing knives. When they opened their eyes and looked around, they saw that the Heartless were all gone.

Draxon lands crouched down on the ground with his Keyblade stretched out behind his back using his left-hand to catch himself. The young teen then rises up on his feet and lets out a sigh of relief. With the area now clear, Ember, Flame, and Sparx approach the Nobody.

"Thanks for the help. You sure saved us from those Heartless." Ember says

"It was nothing I couldn't handle." Draxon says

"I'm guessing you're new to Warfang, right?" Flame asks

"You could say that." Draxon says

The young red dragon went ahead and introduced himself.

"Well, I'm Flame."

The pink dragoness walked up to Flame's right-side and introduced herself next.

"My name's Ember."

Then, Sparx flew over in-between the two dragons.

"And this is our friend, Sparx." Ember introduces

The yellow dragonfly simply smiled and waved his hand in greeting.

"Hey." Sparx greets

"So, who are you?" Ember asks

Draxon places his right-hand on his chest, gesturing to himself as he introduced himself to the trio.

"I'm Draxon. One of the Keyblade's chosen."

Mew flew up to Draxon's side, introducing itself to the trio.

"Mew! Mew!" Mew says

"And this is Mew." Draxon says

Ember, Flame, and Sparx looked over Mew curiously. Draxon could tell from their faces that they had never seen a Pokémon like Mew before.

"I've never seen a creature like this in the Dragon Realms." Flame says

"What is it?" Ember asks

"Mew is a Pokémon." Draxon says

"A Pokémon?" Ember asks

"Yeah. From what I've learned they're creatures that come in all shapes and sizes, each unique with their own powers and abilities." Draxon says

"Really? Wow. That sounds cool." Ember says

Draxon looked around at some of the ruined buildings and debris, wondering how the city could be so damaged.

"What exactly happened here? It looks like this city got pretty banged up." Draxon says

The two young dragons and dragonfly glanced at the destruction that was the results of the great battle between the Forces of Light and Darkness.

"It's a bit of a long story. But to make it short, the City of Warfang was caught up in a huge battle against Malefor's army." Flame says

"Malefor?" Draxon asks

"He was once a dragon like us, but he turned evil. Fortunately for us, Spyro and Cynder put him in his place." Ember says

Sparx flew up to Draxon and looked him over.

"You know something, kid? You remind me of someone." Sparx says

"What do you mean, Sparx?" Flame asks

The yellow dragonfly turns and looks at Flame.

"His Keyblade. I know I've seen it before." Sparx says

Everyone looks down at the crystal Keyblade that was in Draxon's hand.

"That's Devon's Keyblade!" Sparx gasps

"Are you sure, Sparx?" Ember asks

"I know I'm certain. I remember what it looked like." Sparx says

Sparx turns away from the two dragons and looks back at Draxon.

"But how is it that you can wield the exact same Keyblade? What are you like his twin brother or something?" Sparx asks

"Uh... Well, I wouldn't say that. I mean I've been hearing a lot about Devon, but I've never really met him." Draxon says

"Really? Well, you look almost exactly like him. Man, it's like looking at the same person." Sparx says

Ember and Flame took another look at Draxon and they slowly realized that Sparx was onto something. The Dragon Guardians had showed them an image of Devon in the Pool of Visions back in the Dragon Temple only a few months ago.

"I think you might be right, Sparx. Draxon does look like Devon." Flame says

"Yeah. He has his eyes, his hair, and his Keyblade. Draxon, are you sure you're not related in any way to Devon?" Ember says

"No." Draxon says in a straight up answer

"Okay. Just making sure." Ember says

"Hey, why don't you and Mew come back with us to the Dragon Temple. We can show you around." Flame says

"And you should meet the Dragon Guardians. They can tell more about Devon." Ember says

"Sure. I've been wanting to see more of the city anyway." Draxon says

The young teen de-summoned his Keyblade and both he and Mew followed Ember, Flame, and Sparx as they led them through the streets back to the Dragon Temple. As they moved through the streets, they saw some dragons, moles, and cheetahs cleaning up some of the debris that was left out on the streets.

"It's still hard to believe that the city took such a beating." Flame says

Pushing on, the group continued on towards the Dragon Temple.

( _Moments later_ )

After minutes of walking through the streets, the heroes approach the temple and proceed up the ramp to the entrance. They head on inside through the gate and enter the entrance hall. Draxon looked around at all the paintings of dragons that were on the walls. Moving on, the group come into the next corridor where the large dragon statue stood proud waiting to greet them. The Keyblade Wielder and Mew gazed upon the statue in amazement.

"Pretty grand, right?" Flame asks

"You could say that." Draxon says

"C'mon, the Guardians are this way." Ember says

The heroes continue onward heading out into the courtyard. Here, Draxon saw many other young dragons walking about. Each dragon had the same color scales to match their element. Some of the dragons watched the four as they passed by, eyeing Draxon and Mew specifically with curious expressions. They soon came into the chamber where Terrador, Volteer, Cyril, and Hunter stood around the Pool of Visions. The Dragon Guardians and cheetah noticed the group as they came in.

"Flame? Ember? Who is this you brought with you?" Terrador asks

"This is our friend, Draxon. He's new here to Warfang." Flame says

"He helped save us from a bunch of Heartless while we were out in the streets. And get this, he's also a Keyblade Wielder." Ember says

The Dragon Guardians shared glances with each other, surprised to hear that there was another Keyblade Wielder. Even Hunter was surprised by this news.

"He's a Keyblade Wielder?" Terrador asks

"Yep." Ember says

The pink dragoness looks over at Draxon.

"Go ahead and show them, Draxon." Ember says

The young teen nodded his head to Ember in acknowledgement. He stretched forth his right-hand and his Keyblade appeared in a flash of heavenly blue light.

"This is truly astonishing, fortuitous even! To have yet another Keyblade Wielder in our midst! Quite the surprise!" Volteer says

"Well, he certainly seems to be a curious young chap." Cyril says

Cyril looks over at Terrador.

"Don't you think, Terrador?" Cyril says

"Yes." Terrador says

Terrador approaches Draxon and looks down at him.

"Welcome to the Dragon Temple, Draxon. It's a pleasure to meet you." Terrador says

"Thanks." Draxon says

"I am Terrador, Guardian of Earth."

Cyril walks up alongside Terrador's right and introduces himself.

"I am known as Cyril, Guardian of Ice." Cyril says

Volteer walks up to Terrador's left and introduces himself.

"I am Volteer, Guardian of Electricity."

Finally, Hunter approaches Draxon and introduces himself.

"My name is Hunter. It's an honor to meet another Keyblade Wielder like you, Draxon."

Hunter extends his right-paw out to Draxon, offering a handshake. The young teen takes hold of Hunter's paw and the two shake hands.

"The last Keyblade Wielder we had in our world was a boy who looked very much like you, Draxon." Cyril says

"Indeed. The two do share common attributes to their appearance." Volteer says

"His name was Devon." Terrador says

"Devon? He was here?" Draxon asks

"Yes." Terrador says

"You know, I've been hearing a lot about him. What was he doing here?" Draxon asks

"I'm sure Ember and Flame have told you about the Battle of Warfang, correct?" Terrador asks

"Yeah. They did mention that." Draxon says

"Did they also tell you about Malefor?" Hunter asks

"Yes. They told me who he was. He used to be a dragon like you guys, right?" Draxon says

"In that you are right, Draxon. Malefor was once a dragon much like us, helping to preserve peace in the Dragon Realms. But... his desire for power corrupted his heart and he turned evil. Malefor embraced the darkness and waged war against the Dragon race along with all who lived in the realm. His actions sent our world spiraling into chaos until our ancestors defeated him and imprisoned his spirit within the Well of Souls, an evil fortress that Malefor used as his stronghold until our ancestors made it a prison for his soul. Malefor was a Purple Dragon, said to be the first ever born into this world, but there were others after him." Terrador says

"A Purple Dragon?" Draxon asks confused

"A special and rare breed of dragon, born every ten generations. They are gifted with powerful magical energy and are able to withstand it's negative and dark effects. Purple dragons could also harness the power of all the elements such as Fire, Ice, Earth, Electricity, Wind, even Time." Terrador says

Draxon was amazed that such dragons could have that much power.

"Wow. That actually sounds amazing." Draxon says

"It was also told that the Purple Dragons have once worked alongside Keyblade Wielders of the past to preserve peace and justice as well as protect the light from those who served the darkness. Keyblade Wielders like Devon and yourself." Terrador says

"He helped us in our fight against Malefor with another Purple Dragon named Spyro, and another dragon named Cynder, who was once a slave to Malefor's dark power. Devon had proven himself to be a very powerful Keyblade Wielder and is a great friend to all dragons, cheetahs, and moles." Terrador says

"It was said that he was much more powerful than Spyro and Cynder combined." Ember says

The pink dragoness gave out a sigh and held a dreamy look in her face.

"I sure would like to meet him someday." Ember says

Flame and Sparx both looked at Ember, thinking she had a infatuation for Devon.

"Anyway, with Devon's help, Spyro and Cynder defeated Malefor and forever sealed him into the core of our world, which brings us back to the here and now." Terrador says

"Wow. That's quite a story." Draxon says

Suddenly, a light brown cheetah runs into the chamber.

"Hunter!" The cheetah calls

Everyone directs their attention to the cheetah.

"What is it?" Hunter asks in a concerned voice

"More Heartless! They've appeared in the city, and they're attacking the engineers! Our warriors are doing what they can to stop them, but there are too many!" The cheetah says

"Where?" Hunter asks

"In the City Square." The cheetah says

Terrador looked at the cheetah after hearing the news of the Heartless, then glanced down at Draxon. He knew that if the Heartless were to be forced back, he and the other Dragon Guardians would need Draxon's help if they were to ever get the Dragon City restored.

"We are fortunate to have you, Draxon. Since the defeat of Malefor, we've been meaning to make repairs to the City of Warfang, but the Heartless have been hindering our progress. We could use your support in driving them back." Terrador says

"That's why I'm here. Leave them to me." Draxon says

"Wait. We'll go with you. We want to help. I know we may not look like much, but we can fight!" Ember says

"We've been wanting to prove we're just as good fighters as Spyro and Cynder. This is the chance we've been waiting for. Let us come with you." Flame says

Draxon stared at Ember and Flame and he nodded his head, accepting their help.

"Alright, let's go!" Draxon says

With that said, Draxon rushes out of the chamber with Mew, Ember, Flame, and Sparx following him. The Dragon Guardians and the two cheetahs watch as they head out to stop the Heartless. Terrador had a slight smile on his face as he watched them go.

( _Moments later_ )

The heroes ran into the city square and they saw chaos all around them. The area was already badly damaged from the battle. Some buildings were still in ruins. Craters that were yet to be filled were still in the ground. And burnt, charred remains of wood littered the area. Dozens of Heartless were attacking moles while cheetahs and dragons tried to defend them. These Heartless were Defenders, Armored Knights, and Chomper Eggs.

Two cheetah warriors were contending with two Defenders. One of the cheetahs attacks the Defenders with a swing of his sword, only to have the blow blocked by the Heartless' shield. The shield then lunges at the cheetah with a bite, but cheetah quickly jumps back to avoid being bitten. The other Defender shoots a fireball through it's shield at the two cheetahs, but they both leap away from the incoming projectile.

Two Chomper Eggs chased after five moles, launching fireballs at them while they ran away. Eventually, the Heartless had the moles cornered against a broken stone wall and began to close in on them. The moles had their backs against the wall, cowering in fear as the Heartless slowly approached them. As they closed in on the moles, the Chomper Eggs began charging up fireballs in their maws, preparing to fire on the poor moles. But before they could unleash their attack, a red fire dragon moves infront of the moles, roars at the Heartless, then swats them away with his tail. Another Chomper Egg flies in for an attack, but the dragon launches a fire blast from his mouth, blasting the Heartless into oblivion.

Three other cheetahs were fighting three Armored Knights in another corner of the square. One of the cheetahs attacked an Armored Knight with a jumping strike, swinging his sword with an overhead strike. The attack lands a hit on the Heartless, sending it staggering back a bit. The Armored Knight retaliates with a spinning slash, but the cheetah quickly jumps back, dodging the Heartless' sword. One Armored Knight charges at the cheetahs, raising it's sword over it's head for an attack. The Heartless swings it's sword down at the cheetahs, but one of them defends against the attack with his sword. The cheetah then shoves the sword away and kicks the Heartless back. The third Armored Knight rushes forward at the cheetahs with a lunging strike, thrusting it's sword at them, only to have the cheetahs quickly leap away from the attack.

In another corner of the square, an ice dragoness was being attacked by three Chomper Eggs. One of the Heartless takes a bite at the dragon, aiming for her neck, but the dragon leans away and counters the attack by clamping her own jaws down on the Heartless. The ice dragoness shakes the Chomper Egg around a bit before tossing it to the ground and stomping on it with her paws. The second Chomper Egg launches a fireball from it's maw. The dragoness wards off the attack using her wings to shield herself, and retaliates by shooting an ice blast from her mouth at the Heartless, freezing it in ice. The Heartless falls to the ground and shatters into pieces. The ice dragoness then swats the third Chomper Egg away with her tail.

Six more Chomper Eggs appeared to join the other Heartless, replacing those that had been defeated by the fire and ice dragons.

Deciding he had seen enough, Draxon moves to step into the ongoing fight with Mew, Ember, Flame, and Sparx right behind him. The Heartless were now starting to close in on the two moles, five cheetahs, and two dragons as they regrouped and braced themselves. But before the Heartless could advance any further, the five heroes move infront of the moles, cheetahs, and dragons as they make their stand.

"We'll take it from here! Leave these Heartless to us!" Draxon says

"Head for the Dragon Temple! You'll all be safe there!" Flame says

The city inhabitants stared at the heroes in surprise for a moment, but they did as they were told and they made their escape while the Keyblade Wielder and his friends stood ready to fight the Heartless now that their attention was drawn towards them.

Draxon rushes forward at one of the Defenders raising his Keyblade over his right-shoulder with both hands. Once he closed distance with the Heartless, he swung his Keyblade to strike, only to have it blocked by the Defender's shield, making the young teen stagger backwards a bit. The dog-faced shield lunges at Draxon to bite him with it's sharp fangs, but he was able to quickly recover and leap over to the left, dodging the attack. Draxon rolls around the Defender and strikes it's back with a jumping spin attack, dishing out a great deal of damage to the Heartless. The Defender spins around to face Draxon again and lunges it's shield in an attempt to bash him. Draxon leaps up into the air with a somersault, vaulting over the Heartless and dodging it's shield. As he moves over the Defender, the young teen strikes it's head with his Keyblade, sending it staggering forward. Draxon soon lands behind the Heartless and spins back around with a roundhouse slash, smashing his Keyblade into the Defender's back, finishing it off.

The other Defender charges at Draxon with a frontal attack, holding it's shield infront of it. The Keyblade Wielder turns to face the incoming Heartless as it makes it's way toward him. But before the Heartless could reach him, something rams into it's right-side. It was a Pokémon, namely Charizard. The large fire-type slams it's full body weight into the Defender, knocking it away from the young teen. Charizard roars at the Heartless and goes on the attack. It flies straight toward the Defender and slams into it again. This time, however, the Heartless was ready for it and it holds it's shield in defense. Charizard pushes against the Defender, making the dark creature slide back a bit. The Defender manages to shove Charizard back and swings it's shield at the Pokemon. Charizard quickly moves to the right and strikes the back of the Heartless with it's flaming tail. The fire-type Pokémon follows up with a Fire Blast launched from it's maw, landing a hit to the Defender's back. The Defender flew forward and falls to the ground. The Heartless tried to get back up into the fight. But before it could, Charizard comes smashing down on the Defender, crushing it to dust with both it's feet. With the Heartless defeated, Charizard lets out a roar in victory.

Draxon walks up to Charizard in amazement. He was even more amazed when the Charizard glowed with a bright light, transforming into another Pokémon: Mew.

"Whoa. I had no idea you could do that, Mew. Thanks for the save." Draxon says

"Mew mew!" Mew says happily

Draxon and Mew looked over towards Flame and Ember to see how they were doing. Needless to say, they were doing quite well against the Heartless.

Flame jumped up and struck down one Chomper Egg on his right with a swipe of his left-claw, then he took out the other one on his left with a somersault, slamming his tail down on the Heartless. The third Chomper Egg shot a fire blast at Flame, which he easily dodged leaping to the right, and he countered the attack with a fire blast of his own, burning the Heartless to a crisp. Ember flew up to the Heartless flapping her wings and rammed her horns into the first Chomper Egg in her view. Another Chomper Egg went for a bite at the pink dragoness with it's jaws. She quickly flew back, dodging the dark creature's jaws, and kicked it back using both her hind legs before finishing it off with a spin attack, slamming her tail into the Heartless. The final Chomper Egg flew straight at Ember in an attempt to ram her. She saw the Heartless flying towards her and she quickly flapped backwards. Just as the Heartless past her, Ember grabbed hold of the dark creature's tail using her jaws and threw it down to the ground. She then stomps down on the Chomper Egg, crushing it into oblivion.

"Ha! That's what you get, you bullies!" Ember taunts

Flame looked over at Draxon and Mew to see that they had finished dealing with their Heartless. He looked back at Ember and saw the three Armored Knights moving towards her. One of the Heartless was closing in on her.

"Ember! Watch out!" Flame warns

"Huh?" Ember says confused

The pink dragoness looks over at Flame, then turns around to see the Heartless right infront of her with it's sword raised over it's head. Ember gasps in horror and she shields herself with her left-wing. Just as the Armored Knight swung it's sword down, Flame jumps infront of Ember and he incinerates the Heartless with his Fire Breath. Afterwards, the red dragon charges at the two remaining Heartless and rams his horns into one, making it stagger backwards. He follows up with two swipes of his claws and backflip which knocks the Armored Knight into the air. Then, Flame shoots a fire blast at the Heartless, blasting it into oblivion. This left only one Heartless in the square. The Armored Knight charges at the young red dragon with it's sword ready to strike. Flame rushes at the Heartless and rams his horns into it's body, knocking it down to the ground before it could bring it's sword down. With the dark creature stunned, Flame jumps into the air with a somersault and dives down on it with his horns, finishing it off.

Ember lifted her wing and saw that Flame was standing infront of her with his back towards her. The red dragon turned and looked at his friend with a concerned expression.

"Ember, are you alright?" Flame asks

"Yeah. Thanks, Flame." Ember says

With the square now clear, the heroes regrouped.

"Well, that's all of 'em." Ember says

"Yep." Flame says

"I gotta say, you two fought pretty well." Draxon says

"You really think so?" Ember asks

"Yeah." Draxon says

"Thanks, but I don't think we'll ever be as strong as you, Draxon." Flame says

"You and your Keyblade are amazing. The way you take out Heartless. It's like you're invincible." Ember says

"Well, keep on training and you just might get stronger. Now, let's get back to the temple and report to Terrador and the others." Draxon says

Ember, Flame, and Sparx nodded their heads in agreement and the five friends began to walking back towards the Dragon Temple. Unknown to them, another Heartless emerged from the shadows. This was a Dual Blade. The aggressive knight immediately sets it's sights on the heroes and rushes toward them. Draxon and his friends were just about to leave the square when he sensed something was wrong. He turned back and saw the Heartless leap up into the air and fall towards them with it's blade-like arms poised to strike.

"Draxon? What is it?" Ember asks looking up at the Nobody

"Watch out!" Draxon yells

Reacting quickly, the young teen grabs the two dragons in his arms and leaps over to the right just as the Dual Blade came crashing down, swinging it's blades on where they once stood. The attack created a shockwave on impact, kicking up a cloud of dust. Draxon put Ember and Flame down and turned to face the new Heartless. Mew and Sparx flew over to their side.

"Whoa! What was that?" Flame says surprised by what just happened

The pink and red dragon got up on their feet and looked back at where they once were. The dust had settled revealing the Dual Blade as it rose up to face the heroes, brandishing it's interweaving blades.

"Looks like we still got one more Heartless to deal with." Draxon says

Draxon summoned his Keyblade back into his hand while Ember and Flame stood alongside him. Mew changed it's form, transforming into a Garchomp.

"Garchomp!" The shark-like Pokémon roars

Standing together, the heroes prepared themselves for a fight against the Dual Blade Heartless.

The Dual Blade made it's first move with an aggressive thrust attack, charging toward the group with it's blade-arms straight out infront of it's head. Draxon, Garchomp, Ember, and Flame all leapt out of the way, dodging the Heartless as it went past them. Having split up the heroes, the Dual Blade immediately set it's sight on Draxon knowing that he was the greatest threat. The Heartless swung it's right-blade at the young teen, aiming for his head. Draxon quickly brought up his Keyblade and blocked against the blow. He then jumped back as the Dual Blade swung it's other blade-arm. The Heartless lunged at Draxon with it's right-blade to stab him, but the Nobody leaned his body over to the right and knocked the blade-arm away with his Keyblade. The Dual Blade then swings both it's blade-arms with an X-shaped cross slash. Draxon blocked against the interweaving blades, which made the Heartless flinch and vulnerable for attack. Seizing this chance, he kicked the Heartless with his right-foot at it's chest, knocking it back, then he unleashes a flurry of quick slashes. The young teen follows up with a left slash and a reverse roundhouse slash, making the Heartless spin around from both blows. Then, Draxon knocks the Dual Blade into the air with an uppercut slash whilst performing a backflip, jumps up to the Heartless and sends it back down to the ground with a somersault slash.

The Dual Blade falls and crashes into the ground on it's back, but it soon got back up and charged at Draxon to attack him again. Before it could reach him, Garchomp jumps into action, using Dragon Claw to knock the Heartless back with it's wing-like arms glowing with a bright green aura. The Dual Blade slid back across the ground from the strong attack, but it was able to maintain it's footing and it stood firm on it's feet as it turned it's gaze toward Garchomp, who was responsible for the attack.

"Gar..." Garchomp growls in a threatning tone

Garchomp's growls was obviously a threat against the Heartless, warning it to stay away from it's friend, Draxon. The Dual Blade, being a Heartless, wasn't intimidated at all by the dragon-type Pokémon and it charged toward them for another attack, readying it's blades to strike. Garchomp rushed to meet the Heartless head on and began charging up an attack. As it charged straight toward the Dual Blade, it's entire body was soon enveloped in a blue aura which took the shape of a winged dragon. This move was known as Dragon Rush. The attack lands a direct hit as Garchomp tackles the Heartless with incredible power, causing it to flinch. Then, Garchomp opened it's gaping mouth and immediately used another attack known as Dragon Pulse, unleashing a multi-colored energy blast also in the shape of a dragon. This sent the Heartless even further back, dishing out significant damage.

The Dual Blade recovered from the attacks it recieved and engaged the heroes again. It began charging up with dark energy, radiating a dark blue aura as it prepared to unleash another attack. Draxon and Garchomp stood fast, bracing themselves for whatever the Heartless was planning to do. Within moments, the Dual Blade rushes toward the two with a fast, long-range slash. Garchomp quickly lifted Draxon onto it's back and leapt away to the right just as the Heartless reached where they once stood. The Heartless turns to the Keyblade Wielder and dragon-type Pokémon and swings it's blades with multiple slashes, launching blades of wind at them. Garchomp moved and ran fast around the square with Draxon holding on as the wind blades homed in on them. Each of the wind blades chased the two around as they fled and one by one they hit the ground behind them, missing Garchomp's feet by inches. Then, the Dual Blade leaps up into the air, and comes down at them with a somersault slash. Draxon and Garchomp looked up at the Heartless as it came down towards them with it's blades. The young teen held his crystalline Keyblade over his head and it shined with it's benevolent light, creating a blue dome of light which shielded them against the attack. As soon as the blow made impact, the dome unleashed a spray of light, blasting the Dual Blade back several feet away.

Ember and Flame had been watching Draxon and Garchomp face off against the Dual Blade and they looked at each other with brave expressions. Nodding their heads in agreement, they decided it was their time to step in and lend their aid. The Heartless, having recovered from the counter-attack, began advancing toward the young teen and his Pokémon partner when the pink and red dragon jumped into the path of the knight, causing it to stop midway.

The first move was made by Ember, who launches three fireballs from her mouth. Each of the fireballs hit their mark, striking the Dual Blade's chest with small explosions on impact. This was enough to anger the Heartless and it came at the two dragons full bore, running towards them with it's blades drawn back, ready to strike. When it closed distance, the knight swung it's blades down on the young dragons, aiming for Ember specifically since she attacked it first. The pink and red dragon both leapt back, dodging the attack. Ember smacked the Dual Blade's head with her tail and that in turn caused the Heartless to take a swipe at her. She jumped back as the blade came only a few inches from her chest. Flame rushed to her aid and he struck the Dual Blade in the chest, ramming his horns into it's body, knocking it back a bit. He then slams into the Heartless again with a somersault. sending it back even further. Continuing his attack, Flame knocks the knight high into the air with a backflip. He flies up in pursuit of the Heartless, then sends it back down to the ground with a smack of his tail. The Dual Blade crashes into the earth, falling on it's back.

Eventually, the Heartless got back up onto it's feet, ready to face the heroes again. Draxon stared down the knight with a serious, but calm expression. His attention was then diverted to his Keyblade which began to glow brightly. The young teen began to feel a surge of power flow through him as he stared at the crystal Keyblade. He glanced back at the Heartless infront of him with the same look on his face. It was time to put an end to this fight.

Before the Dual Blade could make it's move, Draxon dashes forward at the Heartless with his body enveloped with light, propelled by a flurry of wind. Once he closed distance, he strikes the knight with a left-uppercut slash, knocking it into the air. The young teen jumps up after the Heartless and continues his assault with a somersault slash, four left and right slashes, two spinning slashes, and a right diagonal slash, which sends the Dual Blade back down to the ground. Still in the air, Draxon takes hold of his Keyblade with both hands and holds it up to his face, closing his eyes. An blue orb of light began charging up at the tip of Soul Calibur with streams of light flowing into it, increasing it's size and power. The young teen soon opens his eyes with a brief flash of light in them and raises his Keyblade above his head. The orb of light quickly grew into a large ball and was fully charged. Looking back down at the stunned Heartless, Draxon raises his Keyblade over his right-shoulder and hurls the light orb down toward the knight. The orb crashes down on the Dual Blade and explodes in a blinding flash of light, forcing Garchomp, Ember, Flame, and Sparx to shield their eyes. When the light dims down, the Dual Knight was gone. Apparently, the Heartless had been ultimately vaporized by the orb of light. Thus, the fight was over.

Garchomp transformed back into Mew while Ember, Flame, and Sparx stood amazed by what they had seen.

"Whoa." Ember and Flame both say in unison

Even Mew was amazed having watched Draxon obliterate the Heartless with the Keyblade's incredible power. They looked on ahead and they saw Draxon was crouched down on the ground with his Keyblade held horizontally infront of him after having unleashed the attack. He rose up to his height and looked ahead of him. The only thing that remained of the Heartless was the cracks on the ground where it had crashed.

"And that's one more Heartless off the list." Draxon says

Draxon de-summoned his Keyblade and looks back toward Mew, Ember, Flame, and Sparx.

"Let's go." Draxon says

With their task completed, the Keyblade Wielder and his friends leave the square, heading back to the temple.

( _Moments later_ )

The heroes had returned to the Dragon Temple and were now standing in te courtyard just outside the Chamber of Ancients with Terrador, Volteer, Cyril, and Hunter.

"Terrador, the square is all clear." Draxon says

"All of the Heartless are gone." Ember says

"So we've heard. Well done." Terrador says

"Yes, yes, all fine and dandy, but what if the Heartless were to return?" Cyril says

"Hmm." Terrador says

"Hey, don't sweat it. If the Heartless start acting up again, I'll be around to lend a helping hand." Draxon says

Terrador nodded in agreement.

"Thank you, Draxon. We can always rely on you to vanquish the Heartless." Terrador says

"I'm glad I was able to help, but I've got someplace to be." Draxon says

"You mean you're leaving? Already?" Sparx asks

"Yeah. I've got friends who are waiting for me. But like I said, if the Heartless begin causing trouble, I won't be far behind." Draxon says

Terrador nods his head.

"Very well. We will look forward to your return, Draxon." Terrador says

"Many thanks again for your aid, Draxon. At least now we can continue to rebuild the city in peace." Cyril says

"Hopefully we'll see you again soon." Ember says

"We'll both work hard to get stronger. Those Heartless won't be picking on anyone else 'til then." Flame says

"Take care, Draxon. You're officially one of my new buddies now." Sparx says waving his right-hand

Draxon nods his head and he takes his leave. Mew follows him out, but not before waving good-bye to the Dragon Guardians and Hunter.

"Mew mew." Mew says waving it's right-paw

After that, Mew flies off to catch up with Draxon.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Draxon and Roxas had both returned from their missions and were now sitting at the top of the clock tower, eating Sea-Salt Ice Cream. Mew was also with them, floating next to them while taking some bites out of it's ice cream. As they were enjoying their evening, they heard a familiar voice greet them.

"Hey, boys." The voice says

The two teens and Mew looked over to their left and they saw Axel.

"Axel!" Roxas exclaims

"You're back!" Draxon exclaims

"Yep. I just got home." Axel says

The red-haired Nobody went on over and took a seat on the ledge next to Roxas.

"So, how are you guys holding up?" Axel asks

"Good, good." Draxon says

Axel looked back where he came from and he noticed that Xion wasn't here with them.

"Where's Xion?" Axel asks

"She's not here yet." Roxas says

"Hunh." Axel says

"Yeah, usually she's here by now." Draxon says

"This isn't like her..." Roxas says

Axel and Roxas continued with eating their ice cream. Draxon stared down at his ice cream, then looked over to his left where Xion usually sits.

 _"I hope she's alright..."_ Draxon thought to himself

( _Meanwhile_ )

In the Castle That Never Was, Xion was in her room, sitting on her bed in a fetal position, looking quite upset.

"How could he..." Xion says

Xion thought back to her latest mission. She confronted the hooded imposter during her mission at the Beast's Castle, but she was inevitably defeated by him.

"I'm not a sham..." Xion says

( _Beast's Castle_ )

The same hooded figure stood at the top of the Beast's Castle, staring out into the surrounding environment. He then stretched forth his right-hand. As he did, he remembered his confrontation with Xion. The figure looked at his hand for a moment, then lowered it down to his side. Afterwards, he proceeded to pull his hood back, revealing his identity. It was none other than Riku, who was wearing a black blindfold over his eyes. Riku gazed up into the night sky, thinking about his friend, Sora, who was currently sleeping in the Old Mansion in Twilight Town. But his thoughts also drifted toward his other friend, Devon, who was still out on his own adventure.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Alright. Continuing on with our days in Organization XIII, Draxon and Roxas carry out their daily missions hunting down Heartless with Heart Collection duty. In this chapter, Draxon travels to the Dragon Reams and he meets Ember, Flame, and Sparx along with the Dragon Guardians and Hunter while Roxas heads on over to Halloween Town to hunt his own Heartless. Xion seems quite upset about something. What do you suppose it could be? Perhaps it has something to do with a certain silver-haired teen. Also, Kingdom Hearts III is finally out! After waiting all these years, the Final Chapter in the saga is here! I've played through it and I must say it is awesome! You can be sure I'll definitely be adding some parts of the storyline to my own. But first things first, there's still the matter of having to complete this and Dream Drop Distance story. I know that it has been a long time for me to post this chapter, but bear with me. I'm working as best and as fast as I can to get us there. So stick around. Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


	16. Fear

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 _ **~ Day 150 ~**_

 _ **Fear**_

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Draxon and Roxas were walking up a staircase with Mew floating alongside them preparing for their missions of the day when they saw Xion and Saïx up ahead.

"Just give me another chance!" Xion begs

"We can't afford to expend anymore chances with you. You were a mistake we never should've made." Saïx says

Saïx walks off to his duties while Xion stood there, looking down.

"Xion?" Roxas says confused as to what he had seen

"Is everything alright?" Draxon asks

Xion looked the two boys with an upset look clear on her face. She looks away and says nothing, then she hastily descends down the stairwell without even bothering to look at her friends or Mew.

"Wha-? Xion! Wait! What's wrong?!" Draxon calls out

"Mew..." Mew says in a concerned voice

Draxon shared glances with Roxas and Mew as they watched Xion continue her descent.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon, Roxas, and Mew enter the Grey Area, ready to recieve their orders for their next missions. They saw Saïx, Axel, and Xaldin in the room, but not Xion.

"Xion's not here." Draxon says

"Where do you think she went?" Roxas asks

"I'm not sure. Whatever conversation was going on between her and Saïx couldn't have been good." Draxon says

"I hope Xion's feeling okay." Roxas says feeling concerned

"Yeah. Me too. C'mon, we'll figure it out later." Draxon says

With that said, the two boys and Mew approached Saïx to be given their missions of the day.

"Roxas, you are to head to the Beast's Castle with Xaldin and eliminate a Heartless that has surfaced there. Draxon, you are going to the Kalos Region on your own mission. A swarm of Heartless has appeared in Lumious City. You can bring your pet with you." Saïx says

Draxon and Roxas shared glances and they nodded at each other. While Roxas left with Xaldin to tend to his mission, Draxon went on to his. Although he was focused on his daily duty, he couldn't keep his mind off Xion. The look she gave him and Roxas early that morning told him something was wrong. Whatever happened to Xion during her last mission probably didn't end so well. And it was enough for Saïx to give up on her and toss her aside like yesterday's trash. One way or another he will find out what happened and he would do all he can to help Xion.

( _Beast's Castle_ )

Roxas and Xaldin step out of a dark corridor just outside the castle in the the courtyard.

"I intend to make this quick. Don't drag your heels, Roxas." Xaldin says

The young teen said nothing and simply nods his head in acknowledgement. The two Nobodies enter the castle through the large doors and proceed into the entrance hall. Before they could move toward the stairs infront of them, they were greeted by a Gigas Shadow along with two smaller Shadows and two Possessors.

"Hmph... Weaklings. Come, Roxas. We'll end them here." Xaldin says

Roxas and Xaldin both summoned their weapons and got into battle stance as they faced off against the Heartless.

The two Shadows made the first move by sinking into the floor and slinking their way toward Roxas and Xaldin. Once they closed in on their targets, the Shadows emerged from the floor. But before they could initiate their attack, the young teen quickly dispatched both Heartless with a swing of his Keyblade.

Up next were the Possessors. Xaldin made short work of them by swirling his lances around him, blowing away the Heartless with a powerful gust of wind.

Soon, all that was left was the Gigas Shadow. Roxas ran up to the Heartless and strikes it with a charging strike. He quickly follows up with a couple of slashes from his Keyblade, swinging upward, downward, left and right before adding on with a spinning slash and finishing with a downward slash. The Gigas Shadow swiped it's large claws at the young teen, but he quickly jumped back and countered with a fire spell, swinging his Keyblade with a right slash, launching five fireballs at the Heartless. Each of the fireballs land a direct hit to the Gigas Shadow, detonating with medium-sized explosions on impact. Then, Roxas rushes at the Heartless and strikes it seven times before finishing it off with one final strike. The Keyblade Wielder shot straight through the Gigas Shadow, making it vanish in puff of black smoke.

"Whew... That takes care of them." Roxas says

Xaldin walks up to Roxas' side, and looks at him.

"Enough dallying. We've wasted enough time as it is. Let's find our target and be done with it." Xaldin says

Xaldin walks up ahead of Roxas and looks up toward the stairway leading to the West Wing.

"This way." Xaldin says

The two Nobodies head up into the West Wing and come into the large hallway. There, they had found their target: A Dark Follower. Roxas was shocked by the size of the Heartless.

"Whoa! Look at the size of that thing." Roxas says

"There you are..." Xaldin says

Xaldin summons his lances and gets into battle stance.

"Let us begin." Xaldin says

Roxas looks at Xaldin, then looks back at the Heartless with a battle determined look on his face. Summoning his Keyblade into his hand, the young teen gets into battle stance as he braces himself for a fight against the Dark Follower.

Xaldin takes the three lances in his hands and throws them at the Heartless. The rest of his lances follow soon after, the wind guiding them to their target. Each lance pierces the Dark Follower's torso, embedding themselves into it's body. The attack was enough to inflict sufficient damage, but not enough to faze it. The Dark Follower pulls it's right-arm back and throws a punch at the two Nobodies, but they quickly jump back, dodging the attack. The fist of the enormous Heartless smashes into the floor, creating a mild shockwave and a swirling pool of darkness from which three Shadows emerge to join in the fight.

Roxas quickly cuts through the three Shadows with ease, taking out each one with a swipe of his Keyblade. Then, he directs his attention to the Dark Follower. He rushes up to the large Heartless and strikes it's head with an uppercut slash. He follows up with a left and right slash, a somersault slash, a spinning slash, and finishes with a downward slash. The Dark Follower kneels down, crosses it's arms, then spreads them out, creating a dark force in the heart-shaped hole in it's body. Four dark blasts shoot out from it's body, homing in on Roxas. The Keyblade Wielder quickly rolls to the right, dodging the dark blasts. Just when he thought it was over, four more blasts shoot out towards him. Roxas holds out his Keyblade horizontally in defense, creating a spherical barrier of light which reflects the dark blasts back at the Heartless, sending them flying back at it's head, inflicting a great deal of damage. Then, six dark blasts shoots out from the Dark Follower. Roxas knocks away three with his Keyblade, then sends the other three back at the Heartless.

The Dark Follower clasps it's hands together, raises them over it's head, then throws them down at the two Nobodies, who quickly jump back to avoid being smashed into the ground. Xaldin leaps high up into the air and brings all his lances down on the Dark Follower's head with a mighty blow. This attack definitely dished out a ton of damage, yet the Heartless wasn't fazed by it at all. The Heartless raises it's large right-hand and attempts to smash Xaldin into the ground with it's palm. Xaldin quickly jumps back and dodges the hand just as it comes down on him. Roxas rushes up to the Dark Follower, runs up it's arm going all the way up to it's shoulder, then jumps high up over it's head. Turning his Keyblade over, Roxas raises it over his head and drops down onto the Heartless, stabbing his Keyblade into it's head. The Dark Follower reels back in pain from the powerful blow while Roxas jumps back down to Xaldin. Soon, the Heartless falls onto it's knees, then falls to the floor, vanishing in a huge cloud of black smoke.

"Hmph... Toothless. Come, Roxas. Our mission is over." Xaldin says

"Right." Roxas says

"Graaaaaaugh!" A voice roars

"What was that!?" Roxas says shockingly surprised

"Our beastly host, I'd imagine." Xaldin says looking back over his right-shoulder at the stairway behind him

"Sounds like it came from his room. Did something happen?" Roxas asks

"Hmm. I wonder. Come, we'll take a look." Xaldin says

Roxas and Xaldin head further into the West Wing and approach the Beast's Room. The door was partially open, allowing them to take a peek inside. At the far side of the room was the Beast himself, who was looking at the Enchanted Rose inside it's glass case.

"The last petal is about to fall... When it does, I'll lose... No! I can't! I can't bear it!" The Beast says

"The rose?" Roxas asks

"How fascinating. His beastly form must be tied to it somehow." Xaldin says

"You mean it's related to the spell?" Roxas asks

"Yes. And it seems if he doesn't complete some task in the rose's lifetime, he'll remain as a beast for eternity." Xaldin says

"One of his servants did mention time running out." Roxas says

"The key to his cursed form. Heh heh... this will prove most useful." Xaldin says

"What do you mean?" Roxas asks

"Nothing that concerns you, Roxas. I'd only be wasting my time in attempting to explain it to you. Come. We must return." Xaldin says

Having finished with their mission, Roxas and Xaldin take their leave of the Beast's Castle.

( _Lumiose City_ )

Draxon and Mew exit out of the dark corridor and arrive in Lumiose City, just outside of Prism Tower. The Keyblade Wielder looks around his surroundings.

"Back in Lumiose City." Draxon says

Soon, the young teen sets his eyes upon the tower itself. He looked up and saw that it was quite tall.

"Whoa... That's one tall tower. Wonder what the view must be like up there." Draxon says

Mew looks up at the tower and was just as amazed by it's height. Suddenly, the small Pokémon noticed something was at the top of the tower. Not only that, it sensed an evil presence nearby and it was coming from atop the tower. Something was up there. Something dark and immensly powerful.

"Mew! Mew Mew!" Mew says pointing up to the tower with it's right-paw

"Mew? What is it? You see something up there?" Draxon asks

"Mew." Mew says nodding it's head

Draxon looks back up the tower and takes a second glance. Now that he was looking at it, he did see something was up at the top of the tower. It looked like a person, but it was wearing a dark cloak. He wasn't sure if it was an Organization member. The cloak didn't match anything what he was wearing. As he continued to stare at the mysterious figure, he saw that it was doing something. It looked like it was conjuring up a pulsing red orb of darkness in it's hands and raising it up to the sky.

Suddenly, a large group of Heartless appeared behind Draxon and Mew, breaking them away from their gazing at the tower. These Heartless consisted of Shadows, Darkballs, Flutterings, Possessors, and Flame and Water Cores. The young teen immediately summoned his Keyblade: Soul Calibur into his right-hand upon seeing the Heartless. Mew transformed into a Charizard, taking a stand alongside the Keyblade Wielder, growling in a threatening tone. The two were completely surrounded. Almost the entire area was full of Heartless.

"Looks like the welcome wagon is already here. There's so many Heartless. How?" Draxon says

The young teen remembered the mysterious figure that was at the top of Prism Tower.

"Did that figure on the tower have something to do with this?" Draxon asks

Draxon looks back up at the tower and he notices that the mysterious figure was gone. He soon shifts his gaze back at the Heartless, who were now stalking closer towards him and Charizard.

"This ain't good. I think we're in trouble." Draxon says

Draxon tightly gripped his Keyblade in his hands, drawing it closer to his side while Charizard continued growling as the large group of Heartless approached them. The tension of the situation couldn't be anymore intense.

( _Meanwhile_ )

Ash and his friends were elsewhere in the city with Clembot, making their way over to the Lumiose Museum to meet with Officer Jenny to prepare for their stakeout to catch the criminal responsible for framing Clembot. Apparently, a mad scientist by the name of Belmondo created an evil Clembot duplicate to commit crimes all over Lumiose City and Ash and his friends were here to put an end to his plans and clear Clembot's name.

"So, Belmondo intends to break into the museum next." Clemont says

"What do you think he wants in there?" Serena asks

"I'm not sure. If I had to guess, he's probably gonna try and steal some valuable relics that's stored there to frame Clembot even more." Clemont says

"Whatever he's planning, he's not gonna get away with it. Not while we have anything to say about it. We'll put a stop to his plans and teach him a lesson." Ash says

"And we'll be sure to clear Clembot's name." Clemont says

"Right, sir. No one calls Clembot a criminal." Clembot says gripping it's metal right-hand into a fist

"Yeah! Now you're talking, Clembot." Clemont says

As they were walking, Pikachu's left-ear starts twitching in response to something. Pikachu gasps and looks ahead at Prism Tower. The mouse Pokémon then jumps down off Ash's shoulder and quickly heads down the street while the other look on surprised.

"Huh? Pikachu? What is it?" Ash asks feeling confused about his partner's behavior

"Pika, pika!" Pikachu says pointing at Prism Tower urging it's trainer and the others to follow

Pikachu continues on up the street while Ash and his friends stood confused

"What's wrong with Pikachu?" Ash asks

"It must sense something is wrong." Clemont says

"Sir." Clembot says

Everyone turns and looks at Clembot.

"Clembot? What is it?" Clemont asks

"My sensors are picking up a massive disturbance at Prism Tower. Something is happening there." Clembot says

"Even Clembot senses it too." Bonnie says

"We'd better check it out. C'mon! Let's go!" Ash says

With no time to waste, Ash and friends hurry to catch up with Pikachu as they head for Prism Tower. As they run through the streets, they saw a cloud of smoke burst from over the buildings. The heroes were all shocked by this, but they kept on running with all haste, trying to get to Prism Tower as fast as possible.

"Man! What's going on over there?" Ash says

( _Meanwhile_ )

Draxon leaps back as a Darkball tries to take a bite at him and counters the attack by hurling his Keyblade at the Heartless, slicing it into oblivion. He then strikes down two Shadows that were foolish enough to try and attack him. Two Possessors floated towards the young teen from behind. Draxon turned to face the approaching Heartless, but then Charizard steps in and uses Flamethrower, incinerating the Possessors on the spot. Charizard spots a Darkball that was closing in for an attack and it unleashes a Fire Blast at it, blasting it into oblivion.

At that moment, Ash and his friends arrive on the scene, right in the midst of the ongoing battle.

"Whoa! What the heck is going on?!" Clemont asks

"What are these things?!" Serena asks

Ash looked at all the dark creatures that were in the area. Some of them he didn't recognize. But when he saw a Shadow emerge from the ground to join the fight, he remembered what they were.

"Ah! These are Heartless!" Ash exclaims

"Pika, Pi!" Pikachu gasps

"You mean that these were the dark creatures you were talking about?" Serena asks

"Yeah. They're the same things me and Pikachu fought a while back." Ash says

"There's so many of them!" Bonnie exclaims

Suddenly, three Shadows emerge from the ground infront of the group.

"Pikachu, quick! Use Thunderbolt!" Ash says

The electric mouse began charging up with electricity and soon it unleashed a powerful thunderbolt on the Heartless.

"Pikachu!"

The three Shadows were electrocuted by Pikachu's attack and were thus vaporized into oblivion.

"That was close." Ash says

"Ash, look!" Serena says pointing ahead of them

The heroes look on past the Heartless and they saw Draxon and Charizard fighting off against the dark creatures.

"That trainer and his Charizard are in serious trouble!" Clemont exclaims

"Well, let's give 'em a hand. We're gonna need all of our Pokémon to deal with this many Heartless." Ash says

Ash was just about to grab all his Pokéballs that contained his Pokémon when he took a second glance at the trainer. He was very surprised by what he saw. He managed to catch a glimpse of Draxon's face as he turned around to strike down a Shadow that leapt at him with it's claws. More importantly, he noticed the crystal Keyblade in his right-hand.

"It can't be..." Ash says

In that moment, Ash remembered seeing Draxon on the news all those weeks ago. The Keyblade Wielder he saw back then was now right infront of him, fighting the Heartless.

"It's him!" Ash exclaims

Pikachu looked up at Ash, then looked back at Draxon. And just like it's trainer, the electric mouse instantly recognized him.

"Pi! Pika, Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaims

"Who, Ash?" Serena asks

"The Keyblade Wielder. He's the one who fought off against the Heartless with Prof. Sycamore." Ash says

Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie look back at Draxon as he slices another Shadow in half across it's body.

"Ash is right! It's him!" Serena exclaims

"He's really here!" Bonnie exclaims

Draxon holds out his Keyblade infront of him with both hands as five Possessors floated towards him. Charizard was busy fending off some Flutterwings to help him this time. The young teen stares at the Heartless, then glances down at his Keyblade as it started glowing brightly with it's blue light. Then, a pulsing orb of light appeared on the tip of Soul Calibur, charging up with pure energy and growing in size. It grew large enough until it covered the head of the Keyblade. Draxon shifts his gaze back at the Heartless and his eyes emit a brief flash of blue light. He raises his Keyblade over his right-shoulder like a baseball bat and with a swing, he sends the orb of light flying straight at the Possessors. Upon impact, the orb explodes in a brilliant flash of light, vaporizing the Heartless. Draxon let out a sigh of relief, but that soon ended when a Flame Core came barreling at him with it's entire body coated in flames. He quickly held his Keyblade out over his head, creating a barrier of light which shields him from the attack. The barrier explodes with a splash of light, taking out the Heartless, but also making Draxon fall down on one knee in recoil.

Ash and his friends gasped in shock when they saw Draxon go down. Charizard turned and saw it's friend down on his knee, holding onto his Keyblade for support. The Keyblade Wielder was getting exhausted. This long, drawn-out fight was putting too much strain on Draxon and it was starting to take it's toll on him. He remembered he had fought the dozens of Heartless that attacked Lumiose City before, but he wasn't used to fighting this many Heartless yet. Charizard quickly made it's way over to Draxon and it lowered itself to his level, allowing him to place his left-arm around it's neck and pulled him up to his feet. Ash gripped his right-hand into a fist and he looks over to his friends.

"C'mon! Let's get in there!" Ash says

Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie nod their heads in agreement and together they rush into the fray, willing to lend their aid to the Keyblade Wielder and his Charizard.

Draxon was panting for air as he looked at the Heartless that was now infront of him and Charizard.

"Huff... Huff... Huff... There's just too many... Huff... Huff... Too much for me to handle... Huff... I'm not sure... Huff... how much more of this I can take..." Draxon says

Five Flutterings fly towards Draxon and Charizard for an attack while the two braced themselves. Suddenly, they heard voices from behind them.

"Pikachu, use Electro Ball!" A male voice says

"Braixen, use Hidden Power!" A female voice says

"Luxray, use Swift!" Another male voice says

"Chu-Pika!"

"Braixen!"

"Luxray!"

In that moment, a yellow electric orb, a blue orb of light, and three star-shaped rays come flying straight at the Heartless. The attacks land direct hits to the Flutterings, utterly destroying them. Draxon and Charizard shield themselves from the blast of the attacks. Looking back, they saw the Heartless were gone. Turning around, they saw Ash and his friends with all their Pokémon out, making their stand. Ash had Frogadier, Goodra, Fletchinder, and Hawlucha. Serena had Braixen and Panchem. Bonnie had Dedenne. Clemont had Chespin, Bunnelby, and Luxray out. And Clembot had Heliolisk out. They rush over to Draxon and the Charizard to check on him.

"Hey, you need a hand?" Ash asks

Draxon stares at Ash, amazed that he and Pikachu had saved him. He then stares at Pikachu as the small Pokémon stared back at him.

"Pika!" Pikachu says

Glancing back up at Ash, he gave him a smile and a nod. He felt that Ash was someone he could definitely trust. Turning back toward the Heartless, Draxon removed his arm from Charizard's neck, took hold of his Keyblade with both hands, and got back into battle stance. Seeing Ash and his friends willing to help him out reinvigorated his will to continue fighting and he put on a determined look on his face. Standing together with the Pokémon Heroes and their Pokémon, the Keyblade Wielder and his Charizard stood ready to face the Heartless once more.

A Shadow leaps forward at the group with it's claws poised to strike. Draxon leaps straight at the Heartless, drawing his Keyblade back as he prepared to strike back. Within moments, he cuts through the Shadow, slicing it into oblivion as it disappears in a puff of darkness. Two more Shadows leapt at Draxon to attack him while he was crouched on the ground. The young teen saw the two incoming Heartless and he reacted quickly. He takes out the first Shadow with a rising uppercut slash as he jumped up to his feet, then he spins his Keyblade in his right-hand and strikes down the other Shadow with a reverse roundhouse slash.

Charizard comes up along Draxon and uses Fire Spin, unleashing a raging vortex of flames from it's mouth toward the Heartless. Three Darkballs were caught in the vortex and were destroyed by the attack. Five Shadows tried to attack Charizard all at once, but the Flame Pokémon was more than ready for them. Charizard rushes forward and uses Slash, using it's own claws to cut down the Heartless. Afterwards, Charizard lets out a mighty roar.

Ash and his Pokémon were up against a large group of Shadows, Darkballs, Flame and Water Cores.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash says

"Pikachu!"

The Electric Mouse Pokémon sends forth a streaming thunderbolt at a group of Shadows, electrocuting them until they vanish in a puff of darkness. A Flame Core lights itself on fire and charges at Pikachu. Ash noticed this and quickly commanded his partner to dodge it.

"Pikachu! Dodge it!" Ash says

Pikachu saw the incoming Heartless and it quickly jumped back, dodging it's attack.

"Now, hit it with Electro Ball!" Ash says

Pikachu charges up an electric orb on it's tail and performs a somersault, sending it flying at the Flame Core that attacked it.

"Chu-Pika!" Pikachu

The Heartless was struck with a direct hit by the electric orb, which exploded in a flash of lightning, vaporizing the dark creature into oblivion.

"Frogadier, use Aerial Ace!" Ash says

The Bubble Frog Pokémon began running straight toward another group of Shadows with extremely fast speed. As it did, it spread it's arms out to it's sides and they started glowing with a bright blue light. Within moments, Frogadier closed in on the Heartless and initiated it's attack.

"Fro-gadier!"

Frogadier cuts through the Heartless, taking out Shadows. Some of the Heartless tried to strike back at Frogadier, but it was just too fast for them. One of the Shadows took a swipe with it's claws at Frogadier, but it countered the attack with it's own.

"Goodra, use Ice Beam!" Ash says

"Goo-dra!"

The Dragon Pokémon unleashes a light blue beam of ice from it's mouth, freezing the Flame and Water Cores in ice. The Heartless fall to ground and shatter into a dozen pieces. They soon disappear in a puff of darkness.

"Fletchinder, use Razor Wind!" Ash says

The Bird Pokémon flew up to a flock of Fluttering and stopped only a few feet infront of them. It's wings started to glow with a pale blue light and it started flapping it's wings.

"Fletch-inder!"

Crescent-shaped blades of wind were launched at the Heartless from Fletchinder's wings, taking out each and every one of them. A Darkball comes flying at Fletchinder for an attack. Both Ash and Fletchinder saw it.

"Fletchinder! Dodge it!" Ash says

"Fletch!"

Fletchinder flew upwards, dodging the Darkball as it tries to bite it with it's jaws.

"Counter it with Flame Charge!" Ash says

The Bird Pokémon came back around and swoops down at the Darkball with it's entire body enveloped in flames.

"Fletch-inder!"

Fletchinder slams into the Heartless, taking it out right on the spot.

"Hawlucha, use Karate Chop!" Ash says

"Haw-lucha!"

The Wrestling Pokémon launches forward at a Darkball and strikes it down with it's Karate Chop. Another Darkball tries to take a bite at it, but Hawlucha jumps back and counters the attack with another Karate Chop.

"Cha!" Hawlucha says striking the Heartless

With that, Ash's group of Heartless were finished with Serena, Clemont, Bonnie, and Clembot still fighting their own groups of Heartless. Serena and her Pok mon were facing against a group of Shadows and Possessors.

"Braixen, use Flamethrower!" Serena says

"Brai-xen!"

Braixen points it's branch wand at a group of five Possessors and unleashes a stream of flames, disintegrating them.

"Panchem, use Stone Edge!" Serena says

"Pan-chem!"

The Panda Pokémon stomps it's right-foot into the ground, causing large blue glowing rocks to erupt from the ground. The rocks soon erupt from underneath the Shadows, stabbing into their bodies.

Ash and Serena had both finished their groups of Heartless, leaving only Clemont, Bonnie, and Clembot to deal with theirs. They were up against Shadows, Darkballs, and Flutterings.

"Luxray, use Thunder Fang!" Clemont says

"Lu-xray!"

The Lion Pokémon tackles a Shadow and bites into it's head with it's electrified fangs. The Heartless is electrocuted by the attack and disintegrates in a puff of darkness.

"Chespin, use Pin Missile!" Clemont says

"Ches!"

The hedgehog-like Pokémon jumps up into the air to get up above the Heartless down below. The chestnut-like shell covering it's head started to glow with a bright light and soon it unleashed it's attack.

"Ches-pin!"

Several sharp spikey pins shoot out of Chespin's shell and home in on the Shadows. Each of the Heartless are hit multiple times by the attack and they disintegrate in a cloud of darkness.

"Bunnelby, use Dig!" Clemont says

"Bunn-elby!"

The Rabbit Pokémon jumps up into the air, spinning fast like a top. Then, it burrows deep into the ground and out of sight. Suddenly, the ground beneath the Heartless starts to rumble and crack. Soon, Bunnelby bursts out of the ground with a cloud of dust, striking at least three Darkballs.

"Dedenne, use Nuzzle!" Bonnie says

The small rodent Pokémon jumps onto the Darkball and initiates it's attack.

"Ne-ne!"

Using it's electrified cheeks, Dedenne nuzzles itself against the Heartless, electrocuting it until it vanishes in a puff of darkness.

"Nice one, Bonnie." Clemont says

"Thanks, Clemont!" Bonnie says smiling

Both Clemont and Bonnie direct their attention to Clembot as he and Helioisk were up against a flock of Flutterings.

"Heliolisk, use Parabolic Charge!" Clembot says

The reptilian Pokémon began charging up with electricity with it's frills extending and flaring up. Soon, Heliolisk initiates it's attack.

"Helio-lisk!"

Yellow lightning bolts were released in all directions, striking each and every Fluttering that was around Heliolisk.

Ash and his friends had all finished off their groups of Heartless. They soon looked over at Draxon as he faced the final group of Heartless, alone. He was left with only six Shadows, two Darkballs, three Flame and Water Cores, and a flock of Flutterings.

Draxon rushes at the first Shadow in his sight and slices it into oblivion with an uppercut slash. Then, he moves onto the rest of the Heartless, striking the next two with a left and right slash. One of the Shadows swipes it's claws at him, but he leaps away and counters the attack with a quick slash. Moving onto the last two Shadows, Draxon backflips into the air and swings his Keyblade with a right slash, launching two blasts of blue light in their direction. Upon impact, the light blasts explode with nine small flashes of light, destroying the Shadows.

A Darkball charges at Draxon and tries to take a bite at him. The young teen quickly leans his body over to the side, away from the Heartless' jaws. He then raises his Keyblade over his head and slices the Darkball in half. Shifting his gaze over to his left, Draxon targets the second Darkball, aims his Keyblade at it, and launches a fireball in it's direction. The fireball lands a direct hit to the Heartless and detonates in a large explosion on impact, blasting the dark creature into oblivion.

One Flame Core ignites itself on fire and charges at Draxon, who rolls out of the way. Just when he thought it was over, a Water Core spews scolding hot water in his direction. Reacting quickly, Draxon jumps back several feet, dodging the attack. He aims his Keyblade at the Flame and Water Cores and launches an ice shard in their direction. The ice shard hits a Flame Core, instantly freezing it and the other Heartless around it. Still aiming his Keyblade at the frozen Heartless, Draxon launches a blue orb of light, which flies over to the Heartless and explodes, obliterating them.

One Fluttering shot a dark fireball at Draxon from it's maw, but he sends it back with a swing of his Keyblade. The dark fireball hits the Heartless and destroys it upon impact. A flock of Flutterings began flying in a circle above the Keyblade Wielder, grouping up together in a large ring formation for an attack. A dark blue orb appeared in the middle of the ring and began charging up with dark energy. The Heartless started flying faster and the ring got smaller and smaller, giving the dark orb more power as they prepared to fire. Within moments, the Flutterings launched three dark energy blasts at him. Draxon ran around the area, dodging the dark blasts as they trailed him.

Draxon jumps up to the Flutterings and hovers in mid-air. The Flutterings surround the Keyblade Wielder while he stayed calm. Draxon took his Keyblade with both hands and held it up infront of his face. The crystal Keyblade began to glow with it's blue light and soon Draxon's body was enveloped with the same light. Orbs of light began to revolve around the young teen as he charged up with pure energy and the light that enveloped both Draxon and his Keyblade began to glow brighter and brighter with each second. Within moments, Draxon crosses his arms and thrusts them out, unleashing the power of light upon the Heartless. A large column of light beams down on him, filling the whole area around Prism Tower. The light was so bright that Ash and his friends had to shield themselves. All of the Heartless were consumed by the light and were ultimately vaporized.

The column of light was so tall that every human and Pokémon in Lumoise City could see it over the buildings. Prof. Sycamore was at his lab with Garchomp, looking after the Pokémon as per usual when he noticed Garchomp was looking out through the glass of the greenhouse. He was curious as to Garchomp's behaviour and walked over to it's side. He was followed by the rest of the Pokémon as they went over to the glass wall. When he came up to Garchomp's side, he was amazed by what he saw. He saw the column of light shooting high above Prism Tower as it graced the sky with it's awesome power. Seeing something like this, the Pokémon Reasearcher could only guess as to who was behind it.

"Draxon..." Prof. Sycamore says with a smile on his face

Back at Prism Tower, the column of light soon vanished and the light that enveloped the area finally dimmed down. Ash and his friends looked on and saw that the entire area was now clear of Heartless. At last, the fight was over.

"Whoa..." Ash gasps in awe

"Pika..." Pikachu gasps in awe

"Wow..." Serena says amazed

"Incredible..." Clemont says

"That was awesome!" Bonnie says

"Ne, ne!" Dedenne says agreeing with the little girl

Ash and his friends look on ahead to see Draxon oddly standing perfectly still. Suddenly, he dropped his Keyblade, which disappeared in a flash of blue light. And right before their eyes, Draxon fell on his knees, then turned over and collapsed on his back, falling unconscious.

"Oh no!" Ash gasps in shock

"Pika!" Pikachu gasps

Charizard and the Pokémon Heroes rush over to Draxon and look down on him.

"Is he alright?" Bonnie asks worried

"I'm not sure. Using that attack on the Heartless must've taken a lot out of him." Clemont says

"Please let him be okay." Ash says

Pikachu climbs onto Draxon's chest and looks at him with a worried expression on it's face.

"Pikachu..." Pikachu says worried for Draxon

Charizard walked over to the Keyblade Wielder and lowered it's head down to him, also worried for it's friend. Suddenly, Draxon started to groan as he slowly regained consciousness.

"Pika!" Pikachu gasps in surprise

"He's waking up!" Serena exclaims

Draxon soon opens his eyes. His vision adjusting to the blur. With his eyes now open, he saw the faces of the four humans and their Pokémon staring down at him. Draxon sat upright while Pikachu got off him. He bent his right-knee and placed his right-arm on it.

"Hey, are you alright?" Ash asks

"I am now. Thanks for the help. I know I've fought Heartless before, but I've don't think I've ever faced that many." Draxon says

The Keyblade Wielder slowly started to get up off the ground. He soon stopped when he saw a hand reaching out to him. Draxon looked up and saw Ash offering him his hand with Pikachu up on his right-shoulder. The young Nobody smiled at the trainer's friendly nature. He took hold of Ash's hand and was pulled up onto his feet.

"What were you doing in Lumiose City?" Clemont asks

"Were you visiting?" Bonnie asks

"You could say that. Actually, I came here to hunt down some Heartless. I guess they kinda switched it around for me." Draxon says

"Well, we were just lucky to bump into you. Me and my friends have heard a lot about you and we've been wanting to meet you for a while now." Ash says

Ash introduced himself to Draxon.

"My name's Ash."

Ash looks over to his right-shoulder where Pikachu was still perched.

"This is my best buddy, Pikachu." Ash says

The Electric Mouse greets Draxon with it's voice, waving it's right-paw.

"Pika Pikachu!"

Ash gestures to the rest of his Pokémon with his left-hand as they stood on his left.

"And these are my Pokémon: Frogadier, Goodra, Fletchinder, and Hawlucha." Ash says

Each of the Pokémon nod their heads to Draxon as they greet him in turn.

"Frogadier."

"Goodra."

"Fletchinder."

"Hawlucha."

Up next was Serena, who stepped forward and waved her right-hand.

"Hi! I'm Serena."

Like Ash, Serena introduces her Pokémon to the Keyblade Wielder, starting with Braxien, who was standing alongside her on her right.

"This is Braxien." Serena says

"Braixen." The Fox Pokémon greets waving it's left-paw

Then, she looks down at Panchem as it stood next to Braixen.

"And this is Panchem." Serena says

"Panchem." The Panda Pokémon says nodding it's head

Finally, Clemont, Bonnie, and Clembot introduced themselves to Draxon.

"My name's Clemont. This is my little sister, Bonnie."

"Hi!" Bonnie greets cheerfully

"Denenne!" The small rodent Pokémon greets

Clemont looks over to his right, introducing Clembot as he stood alongside his creator.

"This is Clembot. He's a robot I built to manage the Lumiose City Gym while I traveled with Ash on his journey across the Kalos Region." Clemont says

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Clembot greets

"And these are my Pokémon: Chespin, Bunnelby, Luxray, and Heliolisk." Clemont says

Each of Clemont's Pokémon greet Draxon with their voices.

"Chespin!"

"Bunnelby!"

"Luxray!"

"Heliolisk!"

"It's nice to meet you all." Draxon says nodding his head to the trainers, robot, and their Pokémon

Draxon makes his introduction, placing his right-hand on his chest.

"I'm Draxon, one of the Keyblade's chosen."

"It's so cool having to meet another Keyblade Wielder." Ash says

Charizard stomps up to Draxon's side, making it's presence known to Ash and his friends. It let's out a soft growl in greeting.

"Oh, wow! A Charizard!" Ash exclaims

"Pika!" Pikachu says

Serena pulls out her Pokédex and points it at Charizard as it pulls up it's image and data.

 _"Charizard, the Flame Pokémon. When expelling a blast of superhot fire, the red flame at the tip of its tail burns more intensely."_ The Pokédex reads

"So, you're a Keyblade Wielder and a Pokémon Trainer? That's so awesome!" Ash exclaims

"Oh, this really isn't a Charizard." Draxon says

The group watches as Charizard glows with a bright light, then looks on in surprise as it reverts back into Mew. The cat-like Pokémon floats up close to Draxon's side. The young Nobody places it's right-hand underneath Mew's chin and he gently rubs it's head. Mew closed it's eyes and smiled in content to it's best friend's touch.

"This is my partner, Mew." Draxon says

"Mew, Mew!" Mew says in a cheerful voice

"Aww! It's so cute!" Bonnie says

Serena points her Pokédex back at Mew, pulling up it's image and data.

 _"Mew, the New Species Pokémon. Mew's DNA is said to contain the genetic codes of all Pokémon, so it can use all kinds of techniques. It appears to those who are pure of heart and have a strong will."_ The Pokédex reads

"No way! That's Mew?!" Ash exclaims in surprise

"Pika?!" Pikachu gasps in surprise

"You know Mew?" Draxon asks

"Yeah. Me and Pikachu, we know Mew as far as we can remember. Though I'm really surprised it's hanging around with you." Ash says

"Seems like it really likes you, Draxon." Clemont says

"How did you two meet?" Serena asks

Draxon and Mew share glances with each other before they look back at the Pokémon Heroes.

"You guys might wanna take a seat 'cause it's a bit of a long story." Draxon says

( _Moments later_ )

The group sat down on some nearby benches as Draxon finished his story of how he and Mew first met. Ash, Serena, and Clemont had returned their Pokémon into their Pokéballs since they were no longer needed.

"So, I defeated the Heartless that was in Santalune Forest and I just happened to bump into Mew." Draxon says

"Mew." Mew says

"Since then, the two of us have been hunting down Heartless wherever they showed up." Draxon says

"You know, we were out on the road after Ash had his battle with Korrina at the Shalour City Gym when we saw the news about the Heartless attack in Lumiose City." Clemont says

"Yeah. We saw you on TV fighting all those Heartless with Prof. Sycamore and Garchomp." Serena says

"You did, did you?" Draxon asks

"Yep. We sure did." Ash says

Ash looks at Pikachu, perched on his shoulder.

"Right, Pikachu?" Ash asks

"Pika." The Electric Mouse says nodding it's head

"You were fighting alongside Prof. Sycamore at the time of the attack. Does that mean the two of you friends?" Clemont asks

"Of course. He's the first person I ever met since I first came here. He told me a lot about the Pokémon that live here in this world. They're pretty amazing. And he's been helping me keep track of the Heartless." Draxon says

Ash looks at Draxon and he saw a reflection of Devon in him. Pikachu saw it as well.

"You know, Draxon, you remind me of a very special friend that me and Pikachu met a while back." Ash says

"Let me guess. His name's Devon, right?" Draxon says crossing his arms

Ash and Pikachu were surprised that the Nobody knew what he was gonna say. More so that he knew about Devon.

"Yeah. But how did you know?" Ash asks

"Prof. Sycamore told me about him. In fact, I've been hearing a lot about Devon. People have been talking about him non-stop. There's not one place I go to that I don't hear his name." Draxon says

"You look exactly like him, too. Are you two related or something?" Ash says

Draxon looks down at his right-hand.

"I'm not entirely sure. People say that we look alike, and some say that we both wield the same Keyblade. I feel like there's something familiar about me and him, but I just can't see it. I just feel lost." Draxon says

"I'm sure it must be confusing for you." Clemont says

"Oh, you have no idea." Draxon says

"I feel ya. Just thinking about it is making my head hurt." Ash says placing his right-hand on his head

"Pika, Pika." Pikachu says with it's paws on it's head, mimicking it's trainer

As they sat there, Clemont soon remembered about their ordeal from earlier.

"Oh! Ash, we're supposed to meet with Officer Jenny at the museum." Clemont says getting up from the bench

"Oh yeah! That's right!" Ash says

Draxon was confused about what he had just heard.

"Wait, what's this about the museum?" Draxon asks

"Well, to sum things up short, Clembot's been framed by a scientist named Dr. Belmondo, who's been using an evil Clembot he designed to commit crimes in Lumiose City. Before we came to help you, we were on our way to meet with Officer Jenny at the museum where Belmondo and his Clembot intend to strike next." Clemont says

"Yep. That just about sums it up for me." Draxon says

The Keyblade Wielder thought about what Clemont had told him. If this Belmondo was using a Clembot duplicate for his own selfish purposes, it could be why the Heartless were here. The Heartless after all were drawn to the darkness in people's hearts. So, there was a slight chance that he could be controlling them as well.

"Hmm... Well, since you guys helped me and Mew out..." Draxon says

Draxon got up from the bench and took a stand.

"How about we help return the favor?" Draxon says with a determined smile

"Mew, Mew." Mew says placing it's paws on it's sides with the same determined look

Ash and his friends were surprised by Draxon's response.

"Draxon? Are you sure?" Serena asks

"Of course. You guys are my friends afterall. You helped me fight those Heartless. Now it's time I repay the debt. Besides, the Heartless are bound to be with this Belmondo character. You guys seem like you can handle them pretty well, but only my Keyblade can truly destroy them." Draxon says

Ash smiled and he gladly accepted Draxon's help.

"We'd be more than happy to have you along, Draxon." Ash says

"Pi, Pikachu!" Pikachu says

"Alright. Then, let's get going." Draxon says

With the Keyblade Wielder and Mew tagging along, Ash and his friends head back out into the streets, making their way over to the Lumiose City Museum. Unbeknownst to them, the dark figure had been watching them from the top of Prism Tower. It's sinister eyes watched them go before it vanished in a puff of darkness.

( _Moments later_ )

The heroes made it to the museum where Officer Jenny was patiently waiting for them.

"Officer Jenny!" Clemont greets waving his right-hand

"Glad to see you all made it. I've already notified the museum officials." Jenny says

The police officer notices Draxon standing alongside Ash and Pikachu.

"Who's this?" Jenny asks

"This is our friend, Draxon. He's gonna help us put a stop to Belmondo." Ash says

"Pika, Pika!" Pikachu says ontop of Ash's shoulder

Officer Jenny glances over at Draxon and looks him over. It wasn't long before she recognized him.

"Oh, I remember you from the Pokémon Center. You're the young man that fended off those Heartless creatures in the park." Jenny says

"Yep. That'd be me." Draxon says

"Well then, you're more than welcome to assist in putting Belmondo behind bars." Jenny says

"So, what's the plan?" Draxon asks

"We know that Belmondo intends to break into the museum. He's going to wait until it's dark out at night. That's when we'll bust him. The most important thing to remember is to remain hidden and quiet. We'll strike once they're caught in the act. Let me know if anything comes up." Jenny says

"We will." The group says

Officer Jenny runs off to make some final preparations while the heroes wait for the cover of night.

( _Later that night_ )

It was now night time in Lumiose City with the full moon high up in the starry sky. The group was now out patrolling the museum, waiting for Belmondo and Dark Clembot. It wasn't long before the troublesome two were on the roof. Draxon and Mew were with Ash and Pikachu walking with them around the museum when he saw something on the ground. The light from the moon cast a shadow of the museum rooftops on the ground and he could see two figures walking across. He immediately stopped dead in his tracks and held his left-arm out, making Ash and Mew stop as well.

"Stop!" Draxon whispers

"Huh?" Ash says

"Pika?" Pikachu says

The four friends saw the shadows of Belmondo and Dark Clembot moving on the ground. They looked over to the left and saw them up on the rooftops.

"Look! Up there!" Ash says

"Let's move!" Draxon says

Having spotted the criminals, Draxon, Mew, Ash, and Pikachu went off to get their friends. Dark Clembot moved up to the edge of the roof where it got a good view of the courtyard. It's creator, Belmondo, was down in the courtyard in one of the arch hallways. He stepped out from the shadows and issued his command to his robot.

"Alright. Time to go to work, Dark Clembot." Belmondo says

"Understood." Dark Clembot says

The evil robot stood at a window, preparing to break inside the museum when the real Clembot jumps into the air and kicks his dark counterpart away. The two robots then rolled off the slope and down into the courtyard. Belmondo looked on in shock and shielded himself from the dust cloud. That's when the heroes arrived on the scene.

"Dr. Belmondo, I presume?" Draxon says

The mad scientist looked over to his right and saw the group approach him, stopping only a couple feet from him. Draxon stood at the front of the group with his arms crossed.

"Huh? Who are you?" Belmondo asks

"Just what were you planning to do with that fake Clembot?" Clemont asks in a demanding voice

Belmondo chuckles.

"To frame your robot as a common criminal. Simple as that." Belmondo says with a smirk

Clemont grunts at Belmondo.

"I'll go get Officer Jenny right now." Serena says

Serena runs off to fetch Officer Jenny while Belmondo tells the group his story.

"Mark my words. I make the best robots the world has ever seen. From the moment I saw your Clembot, I knew it wasn't complete. And that's when I realized what needed to be done. So I did it. My Dark Clembot is robot perfection. The greatest robot that has ever been created!" Belmondo says

"So you're just selfish and jealous! It's just one of two qualities that make up the darkness in a person's heart!" Draxon says

"You couldn't be more wrong! My Clembot is a masterpiece of robotic design!" Clemont says

"Think what you want, but there's no doubt you've ruined my ambition to frame your robot and have Dark Clembot be the hero who catches him and saves the day! So now we'll have a little battle to decide which robot is the best. Let's find out which robot is truly the greatest." Belmondo says

"You used the magnificiet power of science to fulfill your own selfish ambitions. I'll take you on!" Clemont says

"Then, it's a Pokémon Battle!" Belmondo says

"Magneton, go!" Dark Clembot says

Dark Clembot shoots out a Pokéball from it's left-cannon arm, sending out a Magneton onto the battlefield.

"Magneton!"

"All right, then!" Clemont says

Clemont looks back at Clembot.

"Clembot, I'm counting on you!" Clemont says

"Understood, sir!" Clembot says

Clembot retracts it's left-hand and switches out a cannon.

"Heliolisk, come out!" Clembot says

A Pokéball shoots out from the cannon-arm and Heliolisk was released.

"Lisk!"

"Thundershock, let's go!" Dark Clembot commands

"Magneton!"

The Magnet Pokémon sends a streaming bolt of electricity towards Heliolisk.

"Heliolisk, dodge!" Clembot commands

Heliolisk jumps high up into the air, dodging the Thundershock.

"Use Electro Ball!" Dark Clembot commands

Magneton charges up an electric orb and launches it at Heliolisk.

"Now, use Dragon Tail for your counter-atttack!" Clembot commands

Using it's tail coated with a green, scale-colored aura, Heliolisk catches the Electro Ball and flings it back down toward Magneton.

"Heliolisk!"

"Magneton, Tackle!" Dark Clembot commands

"Magneton!"

Magneton flies straight into the Electro Ball, kicking up a cloud of smoke. It soon flies out from the cloud and rams into Heliolisk, much to the group's shock.

"Heliolisk!" Clembot cries out

The Reptilian Pokémon crashes into the ground, right at Clembot's feet. Around that time, Serena returns with Officer Jenny in tow.

"Dr. Belmondo and Dark Clembot. You two are coming with me. I have a few questions." Jenny says

"I'd love to, but as you can see, we're in the middle of a battle. So, if you don't mind, stay out of it!" Belmondo says

"Do it, Magneton! Use Flash Cannon!" Dark Clembot commands

"Magneton!"

THe Magnet Pokémon charges up a silver beam of energy and shoots it at Heliolisk.

"Dodge and use Parabolic Charge!" Clembot commands

"Lisk!"

Heliolisk jumps up into the air, dodging the Flash Cannon, and unleashes a torrent of electricity.

"Magneton, use Tackle!" Dark Clembot commands

"Magneton!"

Magneton absorbs the electric attack and slams into Heliolisk again, knocking it to the ground.

"Heliolisk, no!" Clembot cries out

Fortunately for Heliolisk, a green aura envelopes it's body, healing it from the damage it took.

"You're slow, Magneton! Pick up the pace!" Dark Clembot scolds

Magneton was looking bruised and had a couple of dents in it's three bodies. Not only that, it started to spark from all the damage it recieved over the course of the battle.

"All right. This battle is over!" Clemont says

"Over?" Belmondo says

"You've already lost. You're robot couldn't care less about the condition of your Pokémon one bit! All it cares about is winning! My Clembot always battles alongside my Pokémon!" Clembot says

Belmondo laughs.

"You fool. The only thing that matters is getting the win. That's how I programmed Dark Clembot. And that's what makes him the most powerful robot of all!" Belmondo says

"Wrong, Belmondo! Winning isn't everything! The robot who is best at Pokémon Battles cares about Pokémon above all else! And that definition describes my Clembot to a tee!" Clemont says

"He's right, Belmondo! You've lost! Just give it up already!" Ash says

"Pika, Pika!" Pikachu says

Suddenly, both Clembots started to groan in pain.

"Hey, Clembot? What's wrong with you?" Clemont asks concerned

Then, right before their eyes, the two robots were lifted up onto a large round magnet.

"Ah! What's with Clembot?" Ash asks

Everyone in the courtyard looks up and they saw Team Rocket with it's three signature members: Jessie, James, and Meowth standing in their Meowth head-shaped hot air balloon.

"What's with Clembot is what's with us!" Jessie says

"We've got a big magnet and that's a plus!" James says

"To protect the world from devastation!" Jessie says

"To unite all peoples within our nation!" James says

"To denounce the evils of no attraction!" Jessie says

"To extend our reach with magnetic action!" James says

"Jessie."

"And James."

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light!" Jessie says

"Surrender now or prepare for an isotropic fight!" James says

"Meowth, that's right!" Meowth says

Apparently, Team Rocket had been planning to steal Clembot for their own purposes since Dark Clembot trashed the electric appliance warehouse only just recently, and this chance was the perfect opportunity for them.

"Team Rocket? Again?" Serena gasps

"Who are they?" Draxon asks

"They're bad people who steal Pokémon." Ash says

Jessie cackles.

"We attract technically advanced robots and repel twerps!" Jessie says

"At Team Rocket, naturally naughty behaviour is a way of life!" James says

"And with this magnet, we can grab both of those metal heads at once!" Meowth says

"What?!" Belmondo says outraged

"Grrrr." Clemont grunts

Draxon stared up at Team Rocket with a serious look on his face. He takes a few steps forward, summons his crystal Keyblade into his hand, and points it up at the hot air balloon.

"Unless you want to get blown away with your balloon, you will release both Clembots at once!" Draxon demands

Jessie, James, and Meowth look down at Draxon as he stares at them. They could feel that there was some sort of familiarity with him.

"Hey, do we know that twerp?" Jessie asks

"I don't know, Jess. He does look kinda familiar." Meowth says

"And look! He's wielding a Keyblade!" James says

"Huh?!" Jessie and Meowth say in unison

The three members took a closer look at Draxon and they saw he was wielding his Keyblade.

"No way! Those twerps managed to find themselves another Keyblade Wielder! That is just so unfair!" Jessie pouts

"Well, we've got our bucket head robots, so let's skedaddle while we still can!" Meowth says

Before Team Rocket or Draxon could do anything, a stream of fire comes flying in, burning them to a crisp. Everyone looks over to their right and they saw a mysterious man and a Mega Blaziken standing up on the rooftop with the moon illuminating their figure.

"It's Blaziken Mask!" Ash gasps

"And Mega Blaziken!" Clemont gasps

Suddenly, the group heard another voice.

"Hey, Ash!" A female voice calls

The group looks again to their right and they saw Alexa with her Heliotile on her back running up to them.

"Alexia! It's Blaziken Mask! See?" Ash exclaims

"Yeah!" Alexia says

"I won't let you cause anymore trouble for this city!" Blaziken Mask says

"Blaziken! Blaz!"

Mega Blaziken runs down the roof and jumps high up into the air.

"Use Flare Blitz!" Blaziken Mask commands

"Blaziken!"

Mega Blaziken flies toward Team Rocket's balloon with it's entire body coated in flames and cuts through the metal wire that held up the magnet, dropping it and the two robots into the courtyard. Team Rocket gasps in shock upon seeing this.

"Okay... My turn!" Draxon says

Draxon pulls his Keyblade back, taking aim at the hot air balloon. He then hurls it forward with a vertical toss. The crystal Keyblade spins rapidly through the air, glowing with it's bright light. Within moments, it slices through the balloon, making it explode, sending the three members of Team Rocket flying.

"We're blasting..." Jessie screams

"Off..." James screams

"Again!" Meowth screams

The three members disappear into the distance with per the usual twinkle in the sky. The Keyblade flies back around to it's wielder and Draxon catches it in his hand.

"Hmph!" Draxon grunts

"That was awesome, Draxon!" Ash says

"Pika!" Pikachu says agreeing with it's trainer

"Thanks, Ash." Draxon says

The group looks back up at Blaziken Mask as his Mega Blaziken lands by his side, reverting back to it's original evolved form.

"Sorry to interrupt your activities. Resume, Clemont!" Blaziken Mask says

"Blaziken."

"Good job, Clembot. Get a good rest. You deserve it, after all." Clemont says

Clemont takes out a Pokéball from his pocket and beams Heliolisk back into it.

"You too, Heliolisk." Clemont says

"You leave me no choice." Belmondo says

Belmondo takes out his own Pokéball and beams Magneton into it. He then sends out another Pokémon: Magnezone.

"Magnezone!"

Officer Jenny steps up to take on Dr. Belmondo and his Magnezone.

"Out of the way." Jenny says

"Please, I want to handle this!" Clemont says

Clemont steps forward to battle Belmondo.

"But wait." Jenny says

"He'll be fine. Clemont knows what to do." Ash says

Officer Jenny looks at Ash, then glances over at Clemont as he takes out another Pokéball and looks down at it.

"All right, Luxray. Let's go!" Clemont says

Clemont tosses his Pokéball into the air, sending out Luxray onto the battlefield.

"Ray!"

"Magnezone! Zap Cannon!" Belmondo commands

"Magnezone!"

The Metal Pokémon charges up with energy and soon unleashes it in a yellow, electric beam.

"Quick, Luxray, dodge it! Go!" Clemont commands

"Ray!"

Luxray jumps up, dodging the Zap Cannon.

"Use Wild Charge!" Clemont commands

The Lion Pokémon lands back on the ground and began charging at Magnezone. It's body was soon enveloped in a veil of electricity.

"Luxray!"

As it closed distance with it's target, Luxray leaps up and rams into Magnezone, knocking it down to the ground, much to Belmondo's disappointment.

"What do you think you're doing? Hurry and get up! Electro Ball!" Belmondo shouts

"Magnezone!"

Magnezone floats back up into the air and charges up with electric energy, forming them into three electric orbs, which it sends flying down toward Luxray.

"Now, Luxray, hit that back with Swift!" Clemont commands

Luxray's tail began to glow with light as it prepared it's attack.

"Lux!"

Luxray spins around and swings it's tail, launching several star-shaped rays. Both attacks collide in a cloud of smoke, but the thee electric orbs fly back towards Magnezone.

"Hit that back with Tackle! Do it now!" Belmondo shouts

Magnezone flies into it's own attack, kicking up a cloud of smoke, much to the heroes' horror.

"Not again." Ash says

"Terrible." Serena says

Magnezone flies out of the black cloud and straight toward Luxray.

"Luxray, dodge and use Swift!" Clemont commands

The Lion Pokémon jumps high up into the air just as Magnezone slides into the ground, dodging it's Tackle attack. Then, Luxray performs a somersault in the air, sending more star-shaped rays down toward Magnezone. The attack lands a direct hit to Magnezone, kicking up a cloud of smoke. When the smoke clears, Magnezone was revealed, defeated.

"Magne… zone..."

With that, the Pokémon Battle was over. Belmondo gasps and he steps back in shock.

"I know your style. I learned it from watching Dark Clembot's battle. That's how I predicted your moves. From now on, I suggest you treat your robot and Pokémon with more respect!" Clemont says

"Nice work, Clemont." Draxon says

"I knew you could beat them!" Ash says

"What a cool big brother!" Bonnie cheers

"Denne-ne!" Dennene cheers

"Dr. Belmondo, you're under arrest." Jenny says

Belmondo slumps over and falls to his knees in defeat.

Suddenly, the area grew dark and a cold chill filled the air. Then, everyone in the courtyard heard a dark voice echo all around them.

 _ **"LiGhT! I HuNgEr FoR lIgHt! GiVe YoUr SoUlS tO mE!"**_ The dark voice booms

A black mass of darkness started to gather together in the center of the courtyard. The darkness soon took shape, forming itself into a dark creature. This was a Dark Echo.

The Dark Echo was a shadowy wraith-like creature of pure darkness enveloped in a black and dark blue aura. It was humanoid in shape, wearing a long black tattered cloak of darkness with flaming red eyes glowing from underneath it's hood and skeletal hands which glowed with a ghostly pale blue light. The mere presence of this creature can make the surrounding enviornment grow dark and it sends shivering chills to the bone. The Dark Echo feeds on the light like a vampire, capable of sucking the light and lifeforce out of it's victims if given the chance. It's power over the darkness is very strong and it's life-draining ability makes this dark creature extremely dangerous.

Despite the area being darker, the only few things that illuminated the area was the blue glow of Draxon's crystal Keyblade and the Dark Echo's dark blue spectral glow.

"Whoa! What is that?" Ash asks surprised

The Dark Echo looks to it's sides, between Draxon, Ash, and their friends, and Officer Jenny and Belmondo. Then, it crosses it's arms, charging up with dark energy. Soon, it thrusts it's arms, throwing everyone back, except for Blaziken Mask, his Blaziken, and Belmondo. After pushing the heroes away, the Dark Echo turns and gazes down at the scientist, drawn to the darkness that was in his heart. Belmondo stared up at the spectral being, frozen with fear. More specifically, he was staring at it's flaming eyes. It was like staring into the eyes of pure terror.

 _ **"A hEaRt FuLl Of GrEeD aNd EnVy. YoU sHaLl MaKe A fInE sErVaNt FoR mY eMpIrE."**_ The Dark Echo says

The Dark Echo started to float closer towards Belmondo, which really terrified him. The scientist crawled back as the horrifying entity loomed ever closer. But he saw made his skin turn white. The Dark Echo started to extend it's glowing skeletal hand towards him.

But before it could grab Belmondo, a voice broke out.

"Luxray! Use Swift!" A male voice says

"Luxray!"

Several star-shaped rays were sent flying at the Dark Echo, but they just simply went through it's body, inflicting no harm to it whatsoever. The Dark Echo stopped midway upon seeing the stars shoot through it's body. It's right-hand was only inches from Belmondo. The spectral being slowly turned around to see Draxon, Ash, Pikachu, Clemont, and Luxray making their stand.

"Who ever you think you are, you won't be touching Belmondo while we're around." Ash says

The Dark Echo continued to stare at the heroes with it's glowing red eyes. Then, it soon laid it's eyes on Draxon and the Keyblade he was holding.

 _ **"ThE KeYbLaDe..."**_ The Dark Echo says with it's demonic voice

The Dark Echo started to float towards the heroes while they stood their ground.

 _ **"ThE hOlLoW sHeLl Of ThE pRoDiGaL SoN. MuCh PoWeR lIeS wItHiN yOu. YoU wIlL MaKe A fInE vEsSeL fOr My EsSeNcE."**_ The Dark Echo says

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash commands

"Pikachu!"

Pikachu sent forth a lightning bolt at the Dark Echo, but the attack simply went through it.

"Chu!" Pikachu says

Pikachu initiated it's electric attack again. Only this time, the Dark Echo extends it's right-hand, absorbing the attack and nullifying it, much to the group's shock. Before it could advance any further, another voice broke out.

"Blaziken! Flamethrower!"

"Blaziken!"

Blaziken unleashes a stream of fire at the Dark Echo. And just like with Pikachu, the attack had no effect. The Dark Echo glances up at the duo, stretches forth it's left-hand, and unleashes a dark lightning blast, hurling arcing bolts of blue electricity from it's skeletal fingers. The mystery man and his Blaziken quickly jumped out of the way, dodging the electric blast. Turning back at the heroes, the Dark Echo aims it's hand at them and releases another dark lightning blast. Draxon quickly stood infront of the group and held his Keyblade out horizontally, blocking the attack. The crystal Keyblade absorbs the electric blast into it, nullifyng the attack.

Draxon straightened out his Keyblade and held it out infront of him, pointing it at the Dark Echo. Soul Calibur began to glow brighter with it's pure light and a blue sphere of light appeared on the tip, charging up with energy. Within moments, the crystal Keyblade launches several blue light projectiles in a burst of light which home in on the Dark Echo, landing multiple hits to it's spectral being, creating small explosions on impact. The Dark Echo grunts in pain as the light blasts strike it's body.

The Dark Echo stretches it's left-hand out toward Draxon and fires multiple dark blasts from it's open palm. The young teen quickly leaps over to the right, dodging the dark blasts. Ash and his friends also move out of the way to avoid being hit by the attack. Draxon rolls along the ground and jumps back onto his feet. Before he could make a move, he suddenly began to feel weak as if something was choking him. The Pokémon Heroes gasped in shock at what they were seeing.

"Draxon!" Ash cries out

Draxon dropped his Keyblade, causing it to vanish in a flash of light, and fell down on one knee, feeling weaker by the minute. Soon, he was down on all fours, grunting in pain. It was then that a black aura enveloped his body, causing him even more pain. The same aura was emitting from the Dark Echo's hands and was streaming it's way into Draxon's body.

 _ **"ThE dArKnEsS iS a GiFt. ThE oNe TrUe PaTh To UnLiMiTeD PoWeR. To EtErNaL lIfE. LeT iT sEt YoU fReE."**_ The Dark Echo says

The Keyblade Wielder winced his eyes and was grinding his teeth, trying to fight off the overwhelming attack.

"We gotta help him!" Ash says

"How? Our Pokémon's attacks aren't doing any damage to it." Clemont says

Ash grunts in frustration. He then looks back at Draxon, and could only watch helplessly as the Dark Echo continue to drain the life out of his friend.

"Draxon..." Ash says

Mew was watching the whole thing and it certaintly wasn't enjoying watching Draxon suffer from the Dark Echo's deathly grasp. Just having to watch the Keyblade Wielder try and fight the pain made the small Pokémon sick to it's stomach. Mew couldn't take it anymore. It had to do something quick. No, it needed to do something now.

With a battle-determined look forming on it's face, Mew took up it's courage and quickly flew straight over to Draxon, floating up above him. Then, Mew created a pink spherical barrier of light around Draxon and itself, warding off the dark aura and causing the Dark Echo to recoil. This made the evil specter growl in anger. Mew looked down at Draxon and closed it's eyes in concentration, keeping a calm and steady mind. In that moment, a colorful aura enveloped it's body and the young teen, which slowly began to restore life back into him. Sparkles of light glittered around them. This was a move known as Heal Pulse. Draxon's eyes snapped open when he felt the healing waves flow through him. He rose up on one knee and looked up at Mew as it continued to heal him.

"Mew..." Draxon gasps

Ash and his friends watched the awe-inspiring event in amazement. Even Blaziken Mask and his Blaziken were slightly amazed. Once he was fully healed, Draxon rose up onto his feet and summoned his Keyblade back into his hand. Mew lowered itself down to Draxon's face, staring at him with a sympathetic expression. Draxon smiled.

"Thank you." Draxon says grateful for the Pokémon's actions

"Mew." Mew says nodding it's head as if to say "You're welcome."

They both soon directed their attention back toward the Dark Echo, who was responsible for the attack. Draxon gripped his Keyblade in his right-hand and put on a determined look on his face. Mew also held the same expression and it clenched it's paws as if they were fists. As the two stood together, both Nobody and Pokémon slowly started to glow with pure light. Even Soul Calibur glowed brightly with it's light. The whole courtyard was soon illuminated by the light that emitting from the two heroes. As the light grew in strength, Draxon started to float off the ground, hovering right next to Mew.

Taking hold of his Keyblade with both hands, Draxon flies forward at the Dark Echo at fast speed with Mew right alongside him. He raises his Keyblade over his right-shoulder as he prepared to strike. Within moments, they slam into the Dark Echo, striking it in the chest with a strong, powerful blow. The Dark Echo wails in agony from the light-based attack and it vanishes in a puff of darkness.

With the Dark Echo defeated, the light dims away and the darkness lifts, returning the environment to normal night time. Draxon was crouched down on the ground after delivering the final blow, but he rose back up on his feet. Mew flew up to the Keyblade Wielder's side and they both looked at each other with smiles on their faces. Ash and his friends were glad to see that they had prevailed victorious and they cheered.

"Alright, Draxon!" Ash cheers

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cheers

"They did it!" Serena exclaims with a smile

The Pokémon Heroes run up to Draxon and Mew.

"Man, what was that thing?" Ash asks

"I'm not sure." Draxon says

"Do you think it could've been another Heartless?" Clemont asks

"I don't think so. That thing seemed way too powerful to be any Heartless. The darkness it was giving off was very intense." Draxon says

"Whatever that thing was, I'm glad it's gone." Serena sighs with relief

"Me too. It was really scary." Bonnie says still shivering slightly with fright

"At least Draxon's Keyblade was able to fend it off. Our Pokémon didn't stand a chance against it." Clemont says

Draxon looks down at his Keyblade as he still held it in his hand.

"Yeah..." Draxon says

Shifting his gaze, Draxon looks up at Mew as it floated next to him on his right.

"Mew." Mew says

"Although, it's a good thing I had Mew's help." Draxon says

As the group stood in the courtyard, Blaziken Mask calls out to Ash and Clemont.

"Ash! Clemont! The two of you are going to have a Gym Battle, aren't you?" Blaziken Mask asks

"Huh?" Clemont says

"Hey! How did you know about that?" Ash asks

"I know everything that goes on in this city." Blaziken Mask says

The mysterious man then looks over at Draxon.

"Like the Keyblade Wielder's fight against the Heartless." Blaziken Mask says

Draxon gasps in surprise.

"Blaziken! Blaz! Blaz!" Blaziken says

Having stuck around long enough, Blaziken Mask and Blaziken took off across the rooftops.

"Good luck to both of you!" Blaziken Mask says running off

"Hey! Wait!" Alexia says

Alexia takes off after Blaziken Mask and his Blaziken while the heroes watch her go. Draxon looks back at Ash and Clemont.

"So, the two of you are going to have a Gym Battle, right?" Draxon asks

"Yeah. It's something I've been looking forward to ever since I came here to Kalos." Ash says

"Believe it or not, the Lumiose Gym is inside Prism Tower, where we first found you, Draxon." Clemont says

"Really?" Draxon says

"Wanna come with us? We're gonna head over to my place to rest up for tomorrow." Clemont asks

"Wish I could stick around to see that Gym Battle, but I think I've been away from my friends for long enough. They're probably waiting for me." Draxon says

"Oh, okay..." Ash says

Ash looked a little down seeing that Draxon had to leave. The Keyblade Wielder saw his expession and he patted Ash's left-shoulder, making him look back up.

"Hey, don't sweat it. I'll sure we'll see each other again." Draxon says

Draxon smirks at what he was about to say next.

"The next time a bunch of Heartless decide to jump me again." Draxon jokes

The group all laugh at this.

"Okay. And if the Heartless start acting up again, you can count on me and Pikachu to be there to help." Ash says

Ash looks over at Pikachu on his shoulder.

"Right, buddy?" Ash says

"Pi, Pikachu!" Pikachu says

Draxon looks at each of the Pokemon Heroes. He could see the smiles on their faces and they each nodded their heads. He smiles and nods his head in return.

"Alright. Catch ya later!" Draxon says with a two-fingered salute

With that said, Draxon walks out of the courtyard and took his leave with Mew following close behind.

( _Twilight Town_ )

After completing their missions, Draxon and Roxas sat at the top of the clocktower and ate their Sea-Salt Ice Cream. Mew floated alongside Draxon with it's own Sea-Salt Ice Cream. They were soon joined by Axel, who walked over and sat next to Roxas.

"Where's Xion?" Axel asks

"Haven't seen her today." Roxas says

"Not since we set off to our missions." Draxon says

"Oh well." Axel says

The four friends took more bites out of their ice cream before Roxas spoke.

"Hey, Axel..." Roxas says looking to his right at Axel

"Hmm?" Axel says looking left at Roxas

"Is there anything you couldn't bear to lose?" Roxas asks

"Huh? What's that about?" Axel asks

"Well, I met someone today who had something like that. Something that was so important to him he couldn't bear to lose it, and Xaldin said that was his weakness. Why don't I have anything like that?" Roxas says

"Because you don't have a heart." Axel says

"I guess... But Demyx doesn't have a heart, and I bet he'd get pretty upset if someone were to take his Sitar away." Roxas says

"Huh... I guess you may have a point there. So you don't need to have a heart to have something you couldn't bear to lose then." Axel says staring at his ice cream

Axel turns and looks at Roxas.

"If that's true, then that's the closest thing we Nobodies have would be our memories of the past. It's the memories we create the things that we don't want to lose." Axel says

"Memories of the past... I don't remember my past." Roxas says

"Me neither." Draxon says

"Mew..." Mew says in a concerned voice

"Even though you might not remember the past, I'm sure you have things you don't wanna lose." Axel says

"Like what?" Roxas asks

"You still have memories since you and Draxon first joined the Organization, right?" Axel asks

"I dunno..." Roxas says

The young teen stares down at the ice cream in his hand.

"I do... don't I? I couldn't bear to lose any memories of you or Xion or Draxon." Roxas says

"I feel the same way. I don't think I'd bear to lose the memories of you guys or the times that we get to sit up here and relax." Draxon says

As he sat there, Draxon thought about his dragon, Kindle, who was still on Berk, waiting for him. Not to mention Mew, who flew up infront of him, grabbing his attention.

"Mew." Mew says

"I'm not even sure if I could bear to lose Kindle or Mew should they ever go away." Draxon says

"See? There you go. You really do have something you couldn't bear to lose, right? Every one of us, including us Nobodies, have something we hold on to." Axel says

"It sure must be scary." Roxas says

"You can't be scared if you don't have a heart." Axel says

"If you, Xion, or Draxon were to disappear... It's... scary to think of what it would be like without you guys." Roxas says

"Well, being afraid is not an emotion that can exist inside us." Axel says

"Well... I am afraid right now, for sure." Roxas says

"Yeah. Same here." Draxon says

"Maybe it's just that you remember what it's like to feel scared, you know? Somewhere deep inside your memories." Axel says

Roxas, Axel, and Mew continued eating their ice cream while Draxon just stared down at his. He was deep in his thoughts about the conversation. Much of what he said about losing his friends was true. He never wanted to lose Mew or his dragon, Kindle, who was still back in Berk. But that was not the only thing that was bothering him. He was still a bit shaken up with his encounter with the Dark Echo in Lumiose City. He couldn't get over how powerful it was. It's darkness was unlike anything he had faced before. Not only that, the look of terror on Dr. Belmondo's face when it approached him made him think that the Dark Echo was something that was truly meant to be feared. Images of the Dark Echo still flashed in his mind. So many questions ran through his head. What was it? Why was it there? Why was it attracted to the Keyblade. Could it sense the light that was inside it? And why was it attracted to him? Was there something inside him that it saw? And how could a creature so dark be so powerful? There was certaintly no way that any Heartless could ever hope to have that much dark power. Well, at least he and Mew managed to send the Dark Echo back into the darkness from whence it came. Hopefully, it would be the last time he would see it again. Clearing his mind out from his thoughts, Draxon went back to eating his ice cream along with his friends as they sat together.

( _Meanwhile_ )

Back in the World That Never Was, Xemnas stood at The Altar of Naught, staring up at the heart-shaped moon that was Kingdom Hearts as it filled the dark sky with it's glow. As he stood there, the Organization Superior soon felt a presence behind him. But it was one he was familiar with.

"It has been a while, friend." Xemnas says

 _ **"XeMnAs."**_ A dark voice says

Xemnas turned around and came face-to-face with the same dark being that Draxon fought in the Kalos Region. It was the Dark Echo, which he had supposedly defeated. Xemnas placed his right-hand on his chest and did something that nobody would ever expect. He bowed to the dark being infront of him as though it was his supreme master.

 ** _"MaNy EvEnTs ArE nOw In MoTiOn. I tRuSt EvErYtHiNg Is WeLl On YoUr EnD?"_** The Dark Echo asks

"Yes. Roxas and Draxon are proving most useful to our cause. They are gathering all the hearts we need to feed Kingdom Hearts." Xemnas says

The Dark Echo eerily floats past Xemnas and gazes up at Kingdom Hearts.

 _ **"So I sEe. ThE tWo BoYs HaVe InDeEd PrOvEn To Be VeRy VaLuAbLe AsSeTs. I'm CeRtAiN tHeY wIlL bOtH bEcOmE gReAt VeSsElS fOr My HeArT. ThOuGh AmOnG tHe TwO, tHeRe Is OnLy OnE tHaT cAtChEs My EyE."**_ The Dark Echo says

"Draxon." Xemnas says

The Dark Echo nods.

 _ **"He Is ThE NoBoDy Of ThE LeGeNdArY KeYbLaDe MaStEr. ThE oNe WhO iS dEsTiNeD tO dEsTrOy Me. I hAvE tEsTeD hIs StReNgTh. FeLt HiS wIlL. SeEn ThRoUgH hIs ReSoLvE. HiS pOwEr FaR sUrPaSsEs ThAt Of RoXaS. GiVeN tImE, DrAxOn WiLl BeCoMe JuSt As PoWeRfUl As HiS oRiGiNaL pErSoNa."**_ The Dark Echo says

"There has been slight complications with our newest member." Xemnas says

 _ **"XiOn..."**_ The Dark Echo says

"We've sent her to dispose of an imposter." Xemnas says

 ** _"ThE sHaDoW..."_** The Dark Echo says

"Yes. Unfortunately, she failed in the task she was given." Xemnas says

 ** _"It MaTtErS nOt."_** The Dark Echo says

"How should we proceed with her?" Xemnas asks

 _ **"KeEp HeR tO hEr TaSks. ThE mOrE hEaRtS wE gAtHeR, tHe BeTtEr ThE bEnEfItS fOr OuR gOaL. ShE wIlL pRoVe UsEfUl FoR mY pLaNs FoR wOrLd CoNqUeSt In ThE fUtUrE. ShE mAy YeT pRoVe To Be OnE cHoSeN tO bEaR mY hEaRt As A vEsSeL."**_ The Dark Echo says

"As you wish." Xemnas says

 _ **"TaKe HeEd, XeMnAs. I sEnSe ThAt XiOn Is BeGiNnInG tO dIsCoVeR tHe TrUtH bEhInD hEr ExIsTeNcE. UnDeR nO CiRcUmStAnCe ArE wE tO aLlOw ThIs To OcCuR. ShE mUsT nOt StRaY fRoM tHe PaTh ThAt HaS bEeN sEt BeFoRe HeR. OuR pLaN rElIeS oN hEr WeLl-BeInG. If ShE aTtEmPtS tO lEaVe ThE OrGaNiZaTiOn..."**_ The Dark Echo says

"I understand. If she tries to leave, we will ensure her return." Xemnas says

The Dark Echo turns and faces Xemnas.

 _ **"I lEaVe EvErYtHiNg To YoU, XeMnAs. I hAvE oThEr MaTtErS tO aTtEnD tO. BuT kNoW tHiS... I wIlL oBsErVe YoUr PrOgReSs FrOm ThE sHaDoWs."**_ The Dark Echo says

With that said, the Dark Echo fades away into the darkness, leaving Xemnas alone on the tall tower.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Just another day in Organization XIII for Draxon and Roxas until they bump into a troubled Xion who says nothing and runs off. But nonetheless, they go about their missions per usual. Draxon is back in the Kalos Region in Lumiose City. Unfortunately, he and Mew are ambushed by a swarm of Heartless. But luckily for them, Ash and his friends arrive in the nick of time to help them out. In return for dealing with the Heartless, Draxon and Mew help with their situation: Capturing Dr. Belmondo and Dark Clembot. Working together, they put up a fight against the mad scientist. That is until Team Rocket steps in. But no worries. Blaziken Mask and Draxon make short work of them. Just when they thought everything was over, a Dark Echo attacks, a terrifying dark creature intent on consuming the light. In the end, Draxon and Mew manage to defeat the Dark Echo and send it back to the darkness. Or so they had thought... What else lies in store for our heroes? Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


	17. A Friend In Distress

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 _ **~ Day 151 ~**_

 _ **Distress**_

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Draxon and Roxas both walked into the Grey Area with Mew right alongside them, ready to begin their next missions. They looked around the room and saw Saïx, Axel, Luxord, and Xigbar. Yet they did not see Xion anywhere.

"Xion's not here." Roxas says

"She must already be out on her mission." Draxon says

"I wonder what could've happened to her yesterday." Roxas says

"We'll worry about that later. Right now, let's just get through with our missions first." Draxon says

The two boys and the small Pok mon approached Saix and were given their mission of the day.

"Draxon, Roxas, I am sending you both to Twilight Town to eliminate a powerful Heartless. Get it done." Saïx says

Draxon and Roxas both nod their heads in acknowledgement and they set out for Twilight Town.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Draxon, Roxas, and Mew exit out of a dark corridor and arrive in Twilight Town just outside the Train Station.

"Alright. So, where do you think we should start, Draxon?" Roxas asks

"My guess is that the Heartless is somewhere in town." Draxon says

"Then, let's go find it." Roxas says

Draxon and Roxas started walking toward the streets that led down the hill with Mew sticking close to them. Suddenly, Mew stopped right in it's tracks as it sensed something. No, someone. Mew glanced up at the clock tower and it saw a figure sitting on the ledge.

"Mew, Mew!" Mew calls

Mew flew over to Draxon and tugged on the arm of his coat. The young teen looked at the small Pok mon confused.

"Mew? What is it?" Draxon asks

"Mew!" Mew says pointing at the clock tower with it's right-paw

Draxon was a bit confused as to why Mew was pointing up at the clock tower, but having remembered his mission back in the Kalos Region with the Dark Echo he knew it was best to trust the Legendary Pok mon. The Keyblade Wielder glances up at the clock tower to see who or what was up there. As he stared at the tower, he could see that there was someone at the top.

"Wait... Is that who I think it is?" Draxon says

Continuing to stare at the mysterious figure, Draxon felt that it was someone familiar. It wasn't long before he realized who it was.

"Roxas! Hold up!" Draxon says

"Huh?" Roxas says

Roxas stopped upon hearing his name and he turns around, glancing back at Draxon and Mew.

"Draxon? What is it?" Roxas asks

"Up there." Draxon says pointing to the top of the clock tower

Roxas follows his friend's gaze and he glances up toward the tower.

"Hey, isn't that..." Roxas says

"Yep. I betcha' that's who it is. C'mon!" Draxon says

Draxon and Roxas head into the train station and up the clock tower. Once they reach the top, they saw Xion sitting at the ledge, looking quite sad. The raven-haired girl was lost in her thoughts about her last mission involving her fight Riku.

"Xion!" Roxas and Draxon exclaim in unison

Xion was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard her name called out. She looks over to her left and she saw the two boys and the small Pokémon.

"Roxas? Draxon?" Xion says surprised

The two boys walked over to Xion.

"Don't you both have a mission?" Xion asks

"Yeah. We were sent here today." Roxas says

"Really? Me too..." Xion says

Xion remembered when they had met at the stairs and how she had ran off without acknowledging them. She knew they were only concerned about her and she felt bad for having run off after Saïx scolded her based on her failure to eliminate Riku.

"Roxas, Draxon, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have run off like that yesterday." Xion apologizes

"Why was Saïx on your case like that?" Roxas asks

"I don't suppose you've heard about the Organization Imposter, have you?" Xion asks

"I think we may have caught wind of that." Draxon says

"I was ordered to eliminate him." Xion says

Xion turned away from the two boys.

"But... I failed... I couldn't defeat him. That's when Saïx called me a mistake." Xion says

Draxon walked over to Xion and places his right-hand on her left-shoulder, which surprised her.

"Let Saïx say whatever he wants, Xion. You're anything but a mistake." Draxon says

"That's right. You're a great Keyblade Wielder, like us." Roxas says walking up to Draxon's side backing him up

Xion smiled. She was grateful that she had great friends like Draxon and Roxas, who cared so much about her.

"Thanks, Draxon, Roxas." Xion says

"Since we're all here, why don't we work together on our missions for today. That'll probably help cheer you up, Xion." Roxas says

Draxon looks over at Roxas.

"Good thinking, Roxas. Handling our missions should help take our mind off our troubles." Draxon says

Draxon glances back at Xion.

"Don't you think, Xion?" Draxon asks

Xion stood silent. She looked down thinking about the idea of teaming up again. Mew floated over to Xion, causing her to look up.

"Mew?" Mew says cocking it's head to the right slightly

Xion stared at the small Pokémon, then glances back at the two boys with a smile on her face.

"Sure. Maybe if we finish up early, we'll have more time for ice cream." Xion says

"Mew! Mew!" Mew says cheerfully with a smile on it's face

Draxon and Roxas also had smiles on their faces, pleased with Xion's response.

"Alright. Let's go." Draxon says

And so, the three Keyblade Wielders and Legendary Pokémon teamed up for their missions.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon, Roxas, Xion, and Mew were now back down on the ground infront of the train station.

"So, Xion, what was your mission today?" Draxon asks

"I was sent her to eliminate a group of Neoshadows that are lurking around somewhere in the town." Xion says

"Gave you one of the tough ones to deal with, huh? Alright. We'll deal with them first, then we move onto our target." Draxon says

"Right. So, let's start by heading down the hill." Roxas says

The four began heading down the slope of the hill, coming into Station Heights.

"It's been a while since we've teamed up like this. We should do this more often." Draxon says

"If Saïx ever lets us." Roxas says

"We were lucky that he even let you and me take on this mission together. More so that we were able to run into Xion like this." Draxon says

Suddenly, five Neoshadows emerged from the shadows infront of the quartet. four more Neoshadows emerged behind them. The Heartless had the heroes surrounded. The three Keyblade Wielders immediately summoned their Keyblade and got into battle stance.

"Well, this certaintly saves us the trouble of having to look for them." Draxon says

Draxon and Mew stood together to face the Heartless infront of them while Roxas and Xion faced the ones behind them.

One of the Neoshadows leapt forward at the heroes with it's claws ready to attack. Draxon leapt toward the Heartless and cuts through it with a right slash, slicing it in half across it's body. He lands crouched down on the ground with his Keyblade out to his side as the Heartless disintegrates in a puff of darkness. Lifting his head up, Draxon saw another Neoshadow flying towards him. Reacting quickly, he jumps back with a backwards somersault, dodging the Heartless just as it swipes it's claws at him. Using his Keyblade to propel himself forward, Draxon rushes at the Neoshadow with a sliding dash and knocks it up into the air with an uppercut slash. He chases up after the Heartless, performs a somersault in the air, raises his Keyblade over his right-shoulder with both hands, and strikes the Neoshadow into oblivion. The third Neoshadow sinks into a dark portal and makes it's way toward Draxon while he braced himself. Within moments, the Heartless leaps out from the dark portal behind him and attacks the young teen with it's claws. Draxon quickly turned around and jumped back as the Neoshadow swiped at him, then he leaned his body from left to right as the Heartless continued to swing it's claws at him. He soon counters with a right slash at the Neoshadow's head, an backhand uppercut slash, which caused it to stagger backwards, and a roundhouse slash that sliced the Heartless into oblivion.

After finishing off the Heartless, Draxon looked ahead and saw two Neoshadows stalking towards him. But before they could do anything, Mew flew infront of Draxon, protecting him from the Heartless. As it stood against the dark creatures, the Legendary Pokémon had a battle-determined look on it's face. It then encased itself in a pink spherical barrier of light. This move was known as Barrier. Mew flew forward at the Neoshadows and slammed into one of them, destroying it upon impact. The other Neoshadow took a swipe at Mew, but it warps away using Teleport, vanishing in a flash of light before reappearing next to Draxon's side. From there, it conjured up another move. Mew's body began to glow with light as it charged up it's attack. A transparent afterimage soon separates from Mew's body. It then spins quickly, turning into a silver ball of light in front of Mew. This move was known as Ancient Power. Throwing it's small arms forward, Mew launches the silver ball at the Neoshadow. The attack lands with a direct hit and it explodes in a flash of light on impact, vaporizing the Heartless.

Roxas aims his Keyblade at one of the two Neoshadows in his view and launches a homing fireball at them. The fireball hits the Heartless and explodes on impact, engulfing the dark creature in flames and blasting it into oblivion. The second Neoshadow leaps forward at Roxas and swipes it's claws at him. The young teen jumps back, dodging the Heartless and counters the attack with another magic attack. As he flew backwards, Roxas swings his Keyblade with a right slash, launching a burst of ice shards at the Neoshadow. The crystal shards each land a hit to the Heartless, exploding in small bursts of frost, freezing the Heartless in ice. Then, Roxas hurls his Keyblade at the Neoshadow, sending it spinning through the air. The Keyblade strikes the Heartless with a direct hit, shattering it into pieces.

Xion rushes at one of the Neoshadows and strikes it with a roundhouse slash. She follows up with a left and right slash and an uppercut slash before finishing it off with a reverse roundhouse slash. The last remaining Heartless sinks into a dark portal, disappeaing from sight. Xion stood ready and braced herself, knowing full well that the Neoshadow could attack from any direction. It wasn't long before the Heartless leapt out of the dark portal infront of her, swiping it's claws at her. Xion quickly jumped back a good feet away, barely dodging the Neoshadow's claws as it came down to attack her. She stared down the Heartless and held her Keyblade infront of her. Xion's Keyblade began to spark with electricity which crackled and danced up and down the blade. Within moments, Xion swung her Keyblade with a left slash, launching an electric blast at the Neoshadow. The attack electrifies the Heartless, zapping it and violently electrocuting it until it disintegrates in a puff of darkness.

All of the Heartless were defeated and the area was now clear.

"We can scratch Neoshadows off our list now." Draxon says

"Then that just leaves us with our target." Roxas says

"Yep. Let's get moving." Draxon says

Having defeated the Neoshadows, the four heroes moved on further into Twilight Town. They bypass the Back Alley before they head down the stairs to the Sandlot. There, they had found their target: An Avalanche. The dragon-like Heartless hovered in the air above them, leaking ice crystals from it's mouth. It drew it's head back and let loose a mighty roar, spewing cold, frosty air from it's mouth. Draxon took a few steps forward ahead of Roxas and Xion and stretched his right-hand out infront of him. His Keyblade: Soul Calibur appears in his hand in a brilliant flash of blue light. The young teen spins his Keyblade in his hand before drawing it over to his right-side. Roxas and Xion summoned their Keyblades into their hands and got into battle stance. Mew floated over to Draxon's left-side, sticking close to him. The two shared glances with each other and they both nodded their heads. Standing together, the four friends braced themselves for a fight against the Avalanche.

The Avalanche attacked first by unleashing a cold beam of ice from it's mouth at the four heroes down below. Mew quickly flew up infront of Draxon and used Protect, generating a blue barrier of light infront of Draxon, Roxas, Xion, and itself, protecting them from the ice beam. The dragon-like Heartless let out a roar and it swoops down toward the heroes with a corkscrew dive. Draxon and Mew leapt away to the left, dodging the Heartless, while Roxas and Xion leapt away to the right.

Draxon saw that this Heartless was attributed to ice attacks from what he and his friends had seen from it's first attack. So he figured fire attacks would work great against it. Draxon drew his Keyblade back and aimed for the Avalanche as it hovered in the air. Blue flames started to engulf the crystal Keyblade as Draxon prepared his throw. Within moments, the young teen hurls his Keyblade with a horizontal toss into the air, sending it spinning toward the Heartless. The flaming Keyblade strikes the Avalanche in the head, dishing out great damage. The Heartless roars out in pain. Continuing his assault, Draxon leaps high up into the air, flying straight toward the Avalanche. As he soars through the air, his body is enveloped in flames and a ring of fire revolves around him. Draxon soon smashes into the Heartless, landing a strong hit to it's chest, inflicting even more damage. The Avalanche tries to take a bite at the young teen with it's jaws, but he drops back down to the ground.

"Your turn, Mew!" Draxon says

"Mew!" Mew says nodding it's head

Mew started to glow in light and it changed it's form. Roxas and Xion both stared at Mew in amazement as they watched the small Pokémon transform before their eyes. In that instant, Mew transformed into Ho-Oh, one of the Legendary Bird Pokémon. Ho-Oh let out a mighty squawk as it faced the dragon-like Heartless.

The Avalanche spreads out it's wings, draws it's head back, and unleashes a stream of icy wind from it's mouth at Ho-Oh. The Bird Pokémon flaps it's large wings using a move known as Whirlwind, blowing away the attack with powerful gusts of wind. It was now Ho-Oh's turn to attack. Ho-Oh opens up it's beak and lets loose an intense stream of mystical fire. This was Ho-Oh's signature move: Sacred Fire. The fire attack razes the Avalanche, dishing out significant damage. This was even enough to send the Heartless plummeting to the ground, leaving it stunned for a short time. This gave the three Keyblade Wielders a chance to close in on the Heartless and deliver it a serious beatdown.

Draxon sprints at the downed Heartless and strikes it's head with a spinning slash, whirling forward with his crystal Keyblade. He follows up with another spinning slash, this time whirling backwards. Then, he strikes the Heartless with a downward slash, a left and right slash, a backflip slash, and a roundhouse slash, striking it across the face. Roxas and Xion move in and they both attack the Heartless together. Roxas hits the Avalanche with four horizontal slashes while Xion strikes with an uppercut slash, a downward slash, and a reverse roundhouse slash.

The Avalanche rises back up on it's feet and flaps it's wings, hitting the three teens with cold winds, forcing them back. Then, it performs a backflip in an attempt to hit them. The Keyblade Trio quickly jump back to avoid being hit by the Heartless. The Avalanche flies back up into the air, loops around, and dives straight down toward the heroes. Draxon, Roxas, and Xion instinctively leap back just as the Avalanche smashes into the ground with it's feet, making the ground shake. The dragon-like Heartless spreads out it's wings, draws it's head back, and unleashes a stream of icy wind from it's mouth at the three Keyblade Wielders while they braced themselves. But before they could do anything, Ho-Oh drops down infront of them and uses Flamethrower, releasing a stream of flames from it's open beak. The attack blows away the icy wind and strikes the Avalanche in the head.

Roxas and Xion both aimed their Keyblades at the Avalanche and they launched three fireballs at it. The six fireballs land a direct hit to the Heartless, blasting it's chest with medium-sized explosions on impact. Draxon aimed his Keyblade at the Heartless and he launches an even larger fireball into the air. This fireball also hits the Avalanche directly in the chest and it detonates in a large explosion, unleashing an incredible burst of flames. This sent the Heartless falling to the ground again.

Seeing his chance, Draxon rushes forward at the Avalanche, leaps up into the air with his Keyblade raised over his head, and stabs straight into it's head, delivering the final blow. The Avalanche roars out in agonizing pain, trying to throw Draxon off, but it soon falls to the ground, defeated. The Heartless started to glow with a bright light with beams of light shooting out from it's body. Within moments, the dark creature disappears into oblivion and it's heart is released, floating up into the sky and fading out of sight, returning back to Kingdom Hearts.

With the fight now finished, Draxon, Roxas, and Xion de-summoned their Keyblades and Ho-Oh transformed back into Mew.

"Wow, Draxon. I had no idea that Mew could change it's form like that." Roxas says

"Yeah. I forgot to mention that. Mew can turn into any Pokémon that is out there. It's pretty cool. And it certaintly comes in handy." Draxon says

Draxon turns and looks at Xion.

"So, how 'bout that ice cream?" Draxon says

"Okay... Sure..." Xion says

Having completed their missions, the three Keyblade Wielders and Mew went off to go get some ice cream to celebrate on their victory.

( _Moments later_ )

The three friends and Pokémon were now sitting up at the clock tower. Each with their own Sea-Salt Ice Cream in their hands. As they sat there, Roxas looked around.

"I wonder where Axel is." Roxas says

"Guess we got the mission done a little too fast, huh? Heh heh." Draxon chuckles

"Yeah. I guess we did." Roxas chuckles

While Draxon, Roxas, and Mew continued enjoying their ice cream, Xion stared down at her ice cream, lost in her thoughts again. Her mind was just completely fixed on that mission and her encounter with Riku.

( _Flashback_ )

The Kingdom Key spun through the air rapidly and impaled the stone bridge just outside the Beast's Castle. Xion was down on all fours, panting for breath. Ahead of her was the imposter she was sent to eliminate. It was Riku, who had his back to her with his Keyblade, Soul Eater stretched out to his right-side having defeated her. Xion soon fell and collapsed. Riku stood up, de-summoned his Keyblade, and turned to face Xion. He walks over to his fallen opponent and kneels down to her. Wanting to get a better look at her, Riku pulls back the hood of her black coat. He then lifts up the left-side of his blindfold to reveal his eye. Once he gazed upon Xion, he was shocked. His eye widened and he gasped. He soon started to back away just as Xion starts to recover.

"Your face... Who are you really? And why do you have a Keyblade?" Riku asks

"Tell me first... Why are you dressed up as one of us?" Xion asks

Riku turns and walks towards Xion's Keyblade.

"To make sure my best friend sleeps in peace." Riku says

The disguised teen takes hold of the Keyblade and looks upon it.

"I don't know who you're supposed to be. But you can't fight fire with sparks. This Keyblade, it's a sham, worthless." Riku says

Riku tosses the Keyblade to the side, back over to Xion. The girl watches her Keyblade fall to her side, then glares back at Riku in anger.

"My Keyblade is not a sham! What gives you the right to say that?!" Xion snaps

Xion grabs her Keyblade and moves to strike Riku while he just stood and watch. As Xion swings her Keyblade, Riku quickly ducks down, spins around, and elbows her in the back, knocking her back down to the ground. Riku rises up and turns to face Xion.

"Find a new crowd. Trust me. The Organization is bad news." Riku says

Riku then proceeds to walk away until he heard Xion speak again.

"Why?! You're the real sham!" Xion shouts

Xion was back up on all fours, glaring at Riku. He mentally shrugs off what she said and responds.

"Fair enough. You could say... I'm the biggest nobody of them all." Riku says

Xion glares at Riku as he casually takes his leave. She then let out a scream in frustration as she was left alone on the bridge.

( _Present time_ )

"Xion? Xion!" Roxas says

Xion gasped as she was snapped out of her thoughts. She looked over at Draxon, Roxas, and Mew, who were staring at her with concerned expressions.

"Mew?" Mew says cocking it's head slightly obviously concerned about Xion

"Is something wrong? You kinda zoned out on us." Draxon asks concerned

"Sorry. My mind's on other things." Xion says looking away

Xion stares at her ice cream before looking back at her friends.

"Roxas, Draxon, do you both ever think... about why we are here? Doing all this? Working for the Organization?" Xion asks

The two boys look at each other, a bit surprised by Xion's question.

"What do you mean, why?" Roxas asks

"It's so we can have hearts of our own, right?" Draxon says

"But what do we need hearts for?" Xion asks

"I don't know." Roxas says

Roxas looked over at Draxon, who just shrugged.

"Well, maybe once we have hearts of our own, we won't have to think about why we're doing all this, or if we need hearts. We'd be in a better position to judge and make our own choices." Draxon says

"I'm not sure." Xion says

Xion stares down at her left-hand.

"I just wish I knew what I was doing here." Xion says

She then buries her face in her hand.

"I started having the strangest dreams." Xion says

"Really?" Roxas asks

"You mean like nightmares?" Draxon asks

"I can never remember what they're about. I just wake up... feeling scared." Xion says

"You know, Xigbar said that we're pretty special. Exceptional even." Draxon says

"Special? Isn't that... just another way of saying that I'm a mistake?" Xion asks

"You are not a mistake, Xion." Roxas says

"Roxas is right. You're much more than that, Xion. You, me, and Roxas, we're Keyblade Wielders. Together, we can do anything. That is what makes us special." Draxon says

"Mew!" Mew says agreeing with Draxon

"We may be exceptional, but... I don't think we're quite the same." Xion says

Having said that, Xion gave Roxas her ice cream, stood up, and walked away while Draxon, Roxas, and Mew watched her go.

"Xion..." Draxon says in a worried tone

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon, Roxas, and Mew were sitting by themselves, staring at the sunset when Axel happened to show up.

"Hey, guys!" Axel says

"Axel..." Roxas says

Axel walked over and sat down next to Roxas.

"Xion couldn't make it again today?" Axel asks

"Actually, you just missed her." Draxon says

Axel said nothing and the four friends continued to stare at the setting sun.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Draxon and Roxas are back working together in Twilight Town. And while they are there, they run into Xion who just happened to be there on her own mission. The three Keyblade Wielders come together and take on their missions. First, they deal with Neoshadows (Instead of the boring Emblem Collection Mission). Then, they take on the Avalanche. And now Xion's beginning to distance herself from her friends. But why? Does it have anything to do with Riku? Or is it something else that she's starting to discover? Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


	18. The Wrong Buttons

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 _ **~ Day 152 ~** _

**The Wrong Buttons**

( _Lumiose City_ )

Draxon and Mew exit out of a dark corridor, arriving in Lumiose City inside an alleyway.

"Back in Lumiose City." Draxon says

"Mew." Mew says

"I wonder how Ash and his friends are doing. They said they were going to have their Gym Battle at Prism Tower. Let's go see if they're still there." Draxon says

The two headed out of the alleyway and into the streets. They went over to Prism Tower and met Clembot, the robot that Clemont built to manage the gym while he was away. He was standing at the entrance to the gym as Draxon and Mew approached him.

"Clembot." Draxon greets waving his right-hand

"Greetings, Draxon." Clembot greets

"Are Ash and his friends here?" Draxon asks

"They had left recently after having their Gym Battle." Clembot says

"Oh. So, it's already over then?" Draxon says

"Correct. Ash was the victor of the match and was awarded with the Lumiose City Badge." Clemont says

Draxon sighs in disappointment. He wanted to see what a Gym Battle would be like. Not only that, he wanted to see Ash and Clemont have their battle with their Pokemon.

"I can't believe I missed it..." Draxon thought to himself

Mew floats closer to Draxon, staring at him with a concerned expression.

"Mew..." Mew says in a sad tone

Draxon looks back up at Clembot, wondering where Ash and his friends could've gone next.

"Clembot, do you know where they might be going next?" Draxon asks

"They were heading for Laverre City." Clembot says

"Laverre City? Not sure where that is." Draxon says

The young teen crosses his arms and thought to himself. He had never been to Laverre City before. So far, the only other city he's visited was Santalune City. He had no way of knowing where Laverre City might be. But there was someone that Draxon knew could point him in the right direction.

"I know who can tell me where Laverre City is. Prof. Sycamore." Draxon says

Draxon looks at Mew, who floated alongside him on his left.

"C'mon, Mew! Let's go!" Draxon says

"Mew!" Mew says

"Thanks, Clembot." Draxon says

The Keyblade Wielder took off back down the street with his Pokemon Partner following close behind.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon and Mew arrived at Prof. Sycamore's lab and went inside. When they got into the lab, they were shocked by what they saw. The greenhouse area in the lab had been broken into. Glass pieces littered the ground and there was a big opening in the skylight.

"Whoa... What happened?" Draxon asks

"Mew." Mew says wondering the same thing

As if on cue, Prof. Sycamore and Garchomp walk into the lab.

"Oh, hey Draxon." Prof. Sycamore greets

"Hey, Professor. It's been a while." Draxon says

"Yes it has. How've you been?" Prof. Sycamore says

"Good. But your lab looks like it was broken into. Did something happen?" Draxon says

"Yeah. You actually missed out on some things." Prof. Sycamore says

The Pokemon Researcher looks up at the broken ceiling, recalling his ordeal with a certain trouble-making trio.

"Ash and his friends stopped by my lab while on their way to Laverre City. I was showing them a Mega Evolution project I was working on. That's when Team Rocket crashed into my lab and tried to steal my Key Stone, Garchompite, and Garchomp. Fortunately, we were able to track them down and take them back." Prof. Sycamore says

"Ash and the others? They were here?" Draxon asks

"Yep." Prof. Sycamore says nodding his head

"I was actually hoping to run into them at the Lumiose Gym to watch their Gym Battle, but I guess I was a bit late to get in on the action. I'm told they were heading for Laverre City. Do you know where that might be?" Draxon says

"Sure do." Prof. Sycamore says

The Pokémon Researcher walks over to a nearby computer with Garchomp, Draxon, and Mew, and brings up a map of the Kalos Region on the monitor.

"Laverre City is a small city located up here on the north side of Kalos. It's a very rustic city, full of quaint homes built around the forest. There's an ancient tree there that's said to be 1,500 years old. That's where Ash said he go for his next Gym Battle." Prof. Sycamore says pointing to the city on the screen

Prof. Sycamore turns and looks at Draxon.

"Ash and his friends went up along Route 14 to get to Laverre City not too long ago. If you hurry, you might be able to catch up with them." Prof. Sycamore says

"Right. Thanks, Professor." Draxon says

Draxon and Mew were about to head out when Prof. Sycamore stops them.

"Oh, wait Draxon! I forgot to mention one other thing." Prof. Sycamore says

The two turn back toward the Pokémon Researcher as he speaks.

"I've been hearing reports of Heartless over in the Laverre Nature Trail on Route 14. I'm sure Ash and his friends can handle the Heartless, but I'm still worried for them." Prof. Sycamore says

"Don't worry. I'll catch up with them and we'll deal with the Heartless together." Draxon says

With that, Draxon and Mew leave the lab and head out for Route 14.

( _Moments later_ )

The Keyblade Wielder and his partner Pokémon were now on Route 14, walking along the road. They soon came upon a stone bridge over a small stream. Draxon and Mew crossed the bridge halfway when they something caught their eye. They stopped in their tracks and looked over to their left. Over the side, they saw Ash, Serena, Clemont, Bonnie, and all of their Pokémon having themselves a lunch break.

"Mew! Mew!" Mew exclaims

"Hey, Ash!" Draxon calls

Ash and his friends looked up at the stone bridge and they saw Draxon and Mew waving to them.

"Draxon!" Ash exclaims

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaims

Draxon ran over to the end of the bridge and jumps down to the side of the stream. He then walks over to the group with Mew floating alongside him.

"How are you guys doing?" Draxon asks

"Just great." Ash says

"It's so nice to see you again." Serena says

"We were just taking a break while we were on our way to Laverre City." Clemont says

"That's where you're planning to have your next Gym Battle. Right, Ash?" Draxon asks

"Yep." Ash says

"I dropped by the Lumiose Gym and spoke with Clembot. He told me you guys already had your Gym Battle." Draxon says

Draxon looks down, still feeling a bit depressed that he couldn't be there to watch them.

"Sorry I couldn't make it. I would've loved to watch you guys battle with your Pokémon." Draxon says

"Don't worry about it, Draxon. I've still got three other badges to earn from the other gyms." Ash says

"Ash is right. You may have missed our battle, but maybe you can be able to watch Ash take on the other Gym Leaders. If you're not too busy dealing with the Heartless." Clemont says

"Maybe. And speaking of Heartless, I've been told by Prof. Sycamore that some have been lurking around somewhere along this route. Which is why me and Mew are here." Draxon says

Although Draxon had been wanting to catch up with Ash and his friends, he still had his mission from Saïx. He was sent to Kalos to eliminate a bunch of Pureblood Heartless that were hindering their progress.

"Well, we haven't seen any Heartless so far." Bonnie says

"No doubt they're in hiding. Mind if I tag along with you guys?" Draxon says

"Of course." Ash says

"Pika, Pi!" Pikachu says

A small pick-up truck passes by the heroes on a side road up the slope. From the left-side window of the vehicle, a Bellsprout looks down at the group. The plant-like Pokémon soon saw Goodra and recognizes it.

"Bell, Bell. Bellsprout, Bell!" Bellsprout says

The driver stops the truck and looks at Bellsprout.

"What's up, Bellsprout?" The driver asks

"Bell, Bellsprout!" Bellsprout says pointing at Goodra with it's leaf

The driver, who was Keanan, looks over to where his Bellsprout was pointing.

"Are you referring to that Goodra?" Keanan asks

Keanan stares at Goodra and he remembered something about it.

"Oh!" Keanan says

Keanan steps out of the car and continues to stare at Goodra.

"Oh, my." Keanan says

Having finished with their break, Ash and his friends packed up their things and returned their Pokémon into their Pokéballs. Only Goodra was left out.

"Okay. Now that we're all finished, let's get going." Ash says

Before the group could move on, Keanan's Bellsprout comes running over to Goodra.

"Bell, Bell, Bell, Bell, Bell, Bell, Bell, Bell, Bell, Bell! Bellsprout, Bellsprout!" Bellsprout says

Goodra lowers it's head down to Bellsprout and looks at it with a confused expression.

"Goo? Goodra?" Goodra says in a confused tone

The Dragon Pokémon looked Bellsprout over and it soon recognized it. The two Pokémon shook hands and Bellsprout calls Keanan over.

"Bellsprout! Bell!" Bellsprout says

Keanan walks up to Goodra with a smile on his face.

"Oh, it is you! It's been a long time, Goomy. Though I can see you're Goodra now." Keanan says

"Excuse me?" Ash says

Keanan looks over at the group.

"It sure looks like you and Goodra know each other." Ash says

"Huh? Who are you?" Keanan asks

"Oh, yeah, my name's Ash."

Ash gestures to Pikachu, who was perched on his left-shoulder with his thumb.

"This is my partner, Pikachu." Ash introduces

"Pika, Pikachu!" Pikachu greets happily

"I'm Serena. It's nice to meet you."

"Hi there! Bonnie's my name! And this is Dedenne!"

"De-ne-ne!" Dedenne greets

"I'd like you to meet my big brother." Bonnie says gesturing to Clemont

"My name's Clemont. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"I'm Draxon."

Draxon looks to his left at Mew.

"And this is my partner, Mew." Draxon introduces

"Mew! Mew!" Mew greets happily

"Keanan's my name."

Keanan looks up at Goodra.

"This Goomy, I mean this Goodra used to make it's home in the wetlands just beyond where we're standing right now. I happen to be the caretaker of this area." Keanan says

"Wow! That's so cool! So this is where Goodra comes from." Ash says

"Pikachu!" Pikachu says

"Hey, Ash? Why don't we go see where Goodra used to live?" Bonnie asks

"That sounds good." Ash says

Ash looks up at Goodra.

"What do you say there, Goodra?" Ash asks

Goodra looks at Ash in surprise, but then it looks away with a sad expression.

"Goo..." Goodra says in a sad tone

"Hmm." Keanan says

"Bell, Bell, Bellsprout, Bell, Bell, Bellsprout, Bell, Bell, Bell, Bellsprout." Bellsprout says

Goodra stares at Bellsprout surprised. Then, the Dragon Pokémon nods his head. Whatever it was Bellsprout said to Goodra obviously encouraged it.

"Dra." Goodra says nodding it's head

( _Moments later_ )

The group followed Keanan and Bellsprout back to their place, which was a sod hut built within a small hill. They stood on a small boardwalk and looked out at the wetlands where Goodra used to live.

"I see. So, Goodra's with you these days, eh, Ash?" Keanan says

Keanan looks up at Goodra.

"I'm glad you managed to meet some good people." Keanan says

"Goodra." Goodra says in a happy tone

"Alright, so how does your old home look?" Keanan asks

Goodra gazes out at the wetlands, observing it's home and taking in the view. The Dragon Pokemon soon felt much better.

"Goodra." Goodra says in a pleased tone

"I still don't get why Goomy fell from that flock of Swanna back then." Bonnie says

"Me neither. Remember how sick Goomy was?" Serena says

"Mm." Ash says nodding it's head

Ash remembers the time Goomy fell onto it's head after falling from the same Swanna that carried it. It was weak and Ash did everything he could to raise it back to good health. With a questioning expression, Ash looks up at Goodra.

"Why did you leave the wetlands in the first place, Goodra?" Ash asks

Goodra stared at Ash for a moment, then looked down, feeling sad.

"Goo Goodra." Goodra says in a sad tone

"It has something to do with the nature of the wetlands themselves." Keanan says

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Ash asks

"There's a spring located here containing water that has powerful healing effects on the minds and bodies of Pokémon." Keanan says

"Amazing." Clemont says

"Goomy was living here happily with all of it's friends. But suddenly a terrible feud broke out over that spring." Keanan says

"A terrible feud?" Draxon says

"Yes. Other Pokémon came from the outside and used force to take control over the spring." Keanan says

( _Many days ago_ )

Goomy was happily enjoying the spring with all of it's Pokémon friends. There were Wooper, Quagshire, Gulpin, Lotad, and Swanna. Goomy was in a small pond bathing with it's friend, Wooper, which splashed around in the nice, refreshing water.

Suddenly, an army of Pokémon invaded the wetlands. These Pokémon consisted of Yanmega, Beedrill, Ariados, Pinsir, and Seviper. And leading these Pokémon was a blue flower Florges, who was sitting on the back of a Yanmega.

"Florges!" Florges commands

Groups of Beedril, Seviper, Ariados, and Pinsir move in and attack the Pokémon. The Beedrill used Pin Missile while the Yanmega, Pinsir, and Seviper used Sonic Boom, X-Scissor, and Flamethrower, creating big explosions all throughout the wetlands, scaring the Pokemon and causing them to flee in panic.

Goomy saw two Gulpin were surrounded by Seviper. Goomy tried to help them, but an Ariados cuts it off. The Spider Pokémon uses String Shot, spewing a blast of white silk from it's mouth, but the slug-like Pokémon ducks down, dodging the attack. Goomy turns and flees from it's attacker. It's friend, Wooper, was sent flying backwards by an explosion. Using it's soft body, Goomy catches Wooper after which it thanked it's friend with it's voice for the save.

Then, a Pokémon stood before the two small Pokemon, who looked up at it, whimpering in fear. It was Florges. The Garden Pokémon levitates in the air and initiated it's attack. The moon appeared behind Florges and the Pokémon began charging up it's attack. This move that Florges was using was known as Moonblast. Now, Goomy and Wooper were really terrified. Once it's attack was fully charged, Florges sent the lunar blast at Goomy. Goomy was sent flying while Wooper was thrown back by the blast. Fortunately for Goomy, it landed on the back of a Swanna as it flew away, fleeing from the wetlands.

( _Present time_ )

"And that's what happened." Keanan says

"That's terrible." Serena says

Ash looked up at Goodra, feeling bad for what happened to it's home.

"Poor Goodra." Ash says placing it's hand on Goodra's side

"Pikachu." Pikachu says in a sad tone

Goodra looked over at it's trainer, touched by his compassion.

"Goo, Goodra." Goodra says

"What happened to the other Pokémon?" Clemont asks

"Are they gone? Did they run away?" Bonnie asks

"Happily, they're all still living here." Keanan says

"Thank goodness." Serena says relieved

"However, they've been forced into a corner of the wetlands. And they live there in secret." Keanan says

"Goodra..." Goodra says in a sad tone

"But that's not all. I've also seen some black creatures here in another corner of the wetlands." Keanan says

"Huh? Black creatures?" Ash asks

Draxon looks over at Keanan upon hearing what he said. He knew that black creatures could only mean one thing: Heartless. Wanting to confirm his suspicions, the Keyblade Wielder walks over to Keanan.

"Keanan, what did the black creatures look like?" Draxon asks

"They were small. They had two antennae on their heads and glowing yellow eyes." Keanan says

"I knew it. Heartless." Draxon says

"Ah! No way! The Heartless are here too?!" Ash gasps in shock

"Pika!" Pikachu gasps in shock

"Huh? Heartless?" Keanan says

"They're creatures of darkness that are born from the darkness in people's hearts. They steal and consume those hearts in order to multiply their numbers. They are mindless, relentless, and act on instinct." Draxon says

Keanan looks at Draxon in shock. He had no idea such monsters like the Heartless were so dangerous.

"Oh, my!" Keanan says

"It's true. We fought them before." Ash says

"Pika, Pi!" Pikachu says nodding it's head

"Even though the Pokémon can hold their own in a fight against the Heartless, they will only just reappear, replacing those that are destroyed. But there is one thing that can defeat the Heartless." Draxon says

Draxon stretches his right-hand out infront of him and his Keyblade: Soul Calibur appears in a flash of light, much to Keanan and Bellsprout's surprise. The two gazed upon the crystal Keyblade in amazement.

"This is a Keyblade. It's a powerful weapon that I am chosen to wield. And it's the one weapon that the Heartless fear above all else. My duty is to send them back to the darkness whence they came. So, if the Heartless make their move, I will be there to stop them." Draxon says

Draxon looks over at Goodra as it stared out into the wetlands.

"And I will do all in my power to save Goodra's home." Draxon says

( _Moments later_ )

Keanan tended to his duty caring for the water, making sure that it was clean and pure while Draxon, Ash, and their friends stood at the wooden railing of the boardwalk, staring out into the wetlands.

"Sure is quiet around here." Clemont says

"It's hard to believe there's such fighting. It's so peaceful here." Serena says

"Yeah. And now there's the Heartless added into the mix. That's a recipie for disaster." Draxon says

"But what could the Heartless want here?" Clemont asks

"If I had to guess, the fighting between the Pokémon must've attracted them here. They could also be attracted to the healing power of the spring since it's a likely target for them." Draxon says

The heroes looked over at Goodra as it was still staring out into the wetlands. Memories of it's time as Goomy went through it's mind. All the times it played happily with it's friend, Wooper, and all the other Pokémon. Seeing those memories play out really made Goodra sad. And thus, it let out an upsetting cry into the wetlands.

"Goodra!" Goodra cries out in sadness

Goodra's cries echoed far out into the wetlands. Keanan and Bellsprout paused on their work upon hearing Goodra's cries. But then, as Keanan looked back down to continue his work, he noticed that the water level was slightly lower than usual for some unknown reason.

( _Elsewhere_ )

In another part of the wetlands was the Pokémon that were Goodra's friends. These Pokemon were groups of Wooper, Quagshire, Lotad, and Gulpin. One of the Wooper heard Goodra's voice and possibly recognized it as it's friend. Wooper jumped up on some rocks and looked out into the environment.

"Wooper? Wooper! Wooper!" Wooper says

The Wooper turns to the rest of the Pokémon, telling them what it heard.

"Wooper! Per, Per, Per!" Wooper says in a happy tone

"Quagshire, Quagshire?" A Quagshire says feeling unsure

"Wooper! Wooper!" Wooper says feeling excited

Excited upon hearing the voice of it's friend, Wooper went off to find Goodra, wanting to reunite with it again.

( _Elsewhere_ )

In another part of the wetlands, a Pinsir and Yanmega also heard Goodra's cries. The Pinsir went off to find it's leader while Yanmega flew off elsewhere.

( _Meanwhile_ )

Back at the sod hut, Goodra hangs it's head low and closes it's eyes in sadness. Over in the nearby bushes, Wooper peeks it's head out and looks at Goodra curiously. Slowly, Wooper came out of the bushes and approached Goodra, drawing the attention of the heroes.

"Huh?" Bonnie says

"It's a Wooper." Ash says

"Wooper? Wooper, Wooper?" Wooper says

Goodra opens it's eyes and looks over to it's right. There, it saw it's friend, Wooper. A happy look immediately came onto the Dragon Pokémon's face.

"Goodra! Goo! Goo, Goodra, Goo, Goo!" Goodra says with a smile

As Wooper continued to stare at Goodra, it saw a transparent image of it's pre-evolved form: Goomy. That was enough to convince Wooper that this Goodra was indeed it's long lost friend.

"Wooper, Wooper!" Wooper exclaims happily

Goodra lifts it's friend up with it's right-feeler.

"Goodra, Goodra." Goodra says

"Wooper!" Wooper says happy to see it's friend

"Hey, it looks like that's one of Goodra's friends." Ash says

"Pika." Pikachu says feeling happy for the two Pokemon

The rest of Wooper's friend all watched the heart-warming moment. Now convinced that their friend had returned, they all came out of the bushes to greet Goodra. The heroes all saw the Pokémon as they came out to see Goodra.

"Look! There are so many of them!" Bonnie says

"Wow! They all must be friends with Goodra from when it was living here." Clemont says

Clemont laughs.

"I bet they never thought Goomy would come back evolved." Clemont says

"I think so too." Serena says

( _Meanwhile_ )

The same Pinsir that had heard Goodra's voice entered a secluded cave which housed a small spring. This was the spring that Keanan mentioned had incredible healing properties. Inside was Florges. The Garden Pokémon bent down to the water, noticing how low it was getting. That's when Pinsir came in to tell Florges of it's discovery, much to it's surprise.

( _Meanwhile_ )

Goodra flexed it's right-feeler, showing it's friends it's strong muscles while it held a happy Lotad in the other.

"They're all so happy to see Goodra." Ash says

"Pika." Pikachu says

"I got an idea. This would be an awesome time to show all your friends how much you've grown and how much stronger you are." Ash says

"Pika! Pika!" Pikachu exclaims happily

"Goodra." Goodra says nodding it's head in agreement

The Dragon Pokémon looks at it's wetland friends, telling them to watch and see how strong it got.

"Goo, Goo, Dra, Dra, Goo." Goodra says

Goodra takes a few strides forward and uses Dragon Pulse, giving it's friends a dazzling display. Each of Goodra's friends cheer in amazement.

Suddenly, the moment was interrupted when a Swanna flies in looking distressed, calling out for Goodra.

"Swanna! Swanna, Swanna, Swanna, Swanna, Swanna, Swanna!" Swanna says in an anxious tone

"Goodra!" Goodra says nodding it's head with a determined expression

While Goodra spoke with Swanna, Draxon, Ash, and their friends looked on in confusion.

"Hey, what's going on, Goodra?" Ash asks

"Something must be wrong." Draxon says

Then, the group heard a large explosion coming from further into the wetlands.

"Huh?! What was that?!" Ash asks

"It's coming from their home!" Keanan says running over to the group

"Are they being attacked?" Clemont asks

Ash turns to Goodra and tells it to go on ahead.

"Goodra, go help them out!" Ash says

"Goodra!" Goodra says feeling determined

With that, Goodra heads out into the wetlands with it's friends.

"We're coming along, too!" Ash says

"Pikachu!" Pikachu says also determined

"Wait a minute! This whole quarrel is between wild Pokémon. It's not really something we should get involved in." Keanan says

"But, Keanan..." Ash says

"I understand how you feel, Ash, but still, I don't think it would be fair if you and Pikachu were to get in the middle of their dispute." Keanan says

"He means that the Pokémon should solve their own problems. I understand that." Clemont says

"Exactly right." Keanan says

"Right, Ash?" Clemont says

"Okay, I get it! I'm not gonna get involved. But I still wanna cheer for Goodra and it's friends. Is that okay?" Ash asks

"Yes. It would be great to cheer." Keanan says

Unbeknownst to the group, they were being watched by Team Rocket, who were hiding behind some rocks.

"Yup. Something's cooking over there, alright! But I don't think it's time to lower the boom just yet." Meowth says looking through a pair of binoculars

"Then why don't we simply stay and here and watch for a bit?" James says

"And then when the time is just right, we'll simply lower that boom and raise our professional status." Jessie says

"Wobba!" Wobbafett says in an affirmative tone

Down at their feet was a water pump that was sucking the water from the wetlands.

( _Moments later_ )

The group followed Goodra and it's friends as they made their way across the wetlands with Draxon, Ash, and their friends close behind while Keanan and Bellsprout watched them go.

"Bell, Bellsprout." Bellsprout says

"Me, too. I hope they'll be alright." Keanan says

( _Meanwhile_ )

Florges and it's army of Pokémon were attacking the secluded area that was already occupied by the rest of Goodra's friends.

"Florges, Ges, Ges, Ges, Florges!" Florges says

Upon Florges' command, the army of rogue Pokémon closed in on the helpless Pokémon. A Yanmega used Sonic Boom and an Ariados used Pin Missile, launching their attacks. Just as it seemed the Pokémon were about to get hit, Goodra jumps in and intercepts the attacks, taking the hits. A cloud of dust fills the area. When the dust settles, there was Goodra standing infront of it's friends, glowing with a red aura. It had absorbed the hits and turned them into energy for it's Bide attack.

"Goodra!" Goodra says launching it's counterattack

The Dragon Pokémon unleashes a stream of white energy from it's mouth, sweeping it across the ground infront of Florges' minions, blasting them all away. Florges looks on in surprise. Then, Wooper meets up with the rest of Goodra's friends.

"Wooper! Wooper, Wooper, Wooper, Wooper, Wooper!" Wooper says happily

Wooper explained to the other Pokémon that Goomy had evolved, and the Pokémon were happy to see that their friend was back to help. Around that time, Draxon, Ash, and their friends arrive on the scene.

"Looks like they made it in time." Ash says

"Pikachu." Pikachu says relieved

The group looks over at Florges and it's Pokémon army.

"So those Pokémon are attacking?" Serena asks

"Just like Keanan said." Clemont says

"Alright, go get 'em, Goodra! I know you can do it!" Bonnie cheers

"Ne, Ne, Ne, Ne!" Dedenne says

"Mew! Mew!" Mew cheers

Two Pinsir use X-Scissor, launching their attacks. Goodra was about to make it's move, but then Wooper spoke out.

"Wooper, Wooper!" Wooper says

In that moment, all of Goodra's friends counter the attack with a combined Water Gun. Displeased by the scene that was unfolding before it, Florges sent forth it's Yanmega army.

"Ges!" Florges commands

The swarm of Yanmega move to attack Goodra and it's friends. Seeing that they were outnumbered, Pikachu jumps off Ash's shoulder and gets into battle stance, eager to lend it's help.

"Pikachu, no!" Ash says

"Pika?" Pikachu says

"Remember what Keanan said. This is their battle, not ours." Ash says

"Pika..." Pikachu says in a worried tone

The Yanmega army use Sonic Boom, but Goodra moves up and takes the hit. Florges' Beedrill army use Pin Missile, but are countered by Gulpin's Sludge, and are then attacked by Lotad's Scald. Goodra releases another Bide up at the Yanmega, causing them to scatter.

"It looks like an even fight." Clemont says

"They just might win." Serena says

"Way to go!" Bonnie cheers

"De-ne-ne!" Dedenne says

Two Seviper move in to attack next, but Florges calls them off.

"Florges!" Florges says

The Seviper stop and bow as Yanmega flies ahead with their leader on it's back. Florges jumps off Yanmega's back and lands in a small pond infront of Goodra, kicking up a burst of water.

"Now it's a battle between the top brass." Meowth says

"I think it's time for us to make our entrance." James says

"It's vital to our professional success for that Florges to come out on top." Jessie says

"Who's that?" Ash asks

Ash pulls out his Pokédex and points it at Florges.

 _"Florges, the Garden Pokémon. And the final evolved form of Flabebe. Long ago, nobles would often ask Florges to create beautiful gardens for their castles."_ The Pokédex reads

The atmosphere was intense as the two Pokémon stare each other down. Florges stared at Goodra and recognized it as the Goomy it blasted away. It saw the fear in it's eyes and it smirked with confidence. Goodra nervously took a step back, remembering how Florges brutally defeated it way back when it was a Goomy. That's when it heard it's trainer call out to it.

"Goodra!" Ash calls out

Goodra looks up at Ash in surprise.

"It's okay! You can do this! No doubt! You're really strong now. You're not the Goomy you were back then. Believe in yourself and go for it!" Ash says

"Pika, Pika!" Pikachu says

Goodra felt heartened by Ash's resolve and it put on a battle-determined expression.

"Goodra, Goo." Goodra says nodding it's head

With it's courage renewed, Goodra turns back towards Florges, ready to face it's rival. Florges was amused by Goodra's fighting spirit. It then uses Petal Blizzard, sending frozen petals at Goodra.

"That's Petal Blizzard!" Clemont exclaims

"Be careful, Goodra!" Serena warns

Goodra counters with Dragon Pulse, repelling the attack.

"Yeah! Way to go, Goodra!" Ash says

"Pika, Pika!" Pikachu says

Goodra rushes at Florges in an attempt to ram into it. Florges jumps into the air, dodging the attack. Touching back down on the ground, the Garden Pokémon uses Grassy Terrain, sending a bright blue-green wave across the area.

"Hey, what was that?" Bonnie asks

"That was Grassy Terrain." Clemont says

"Grassy Terrain?" Draxon asks

"A move. It increases the power of Grass-type moves." Clemont says

Florges charges up with solar energy and releases it into a powerful beam.

"Flo-o-o-o-o-rges!" Florges says launching it's attack

"And that move?" Draxon asks

"That's Solar Beam." Clemont says

Goodra counters the attack with Dragon Pulse, though one streak of the Solar Beam makes it's way past it to hit its friends. The Dragon Pokémon looks back, shocked to see that it's friends were hurt.

"Goodra! Goo, Goo, Goodra!" Goodra says in a concerned tone

"Wooper..." Wooper says struggling to get up

Goodra turns back and saw another Solar Beam heading straight for them. He takes the hit followed by a subsequent hit from Florges' Moonblast.

"Woo, Wooper!" Wooper cries out

"Goodra!" Ash cries out

Florges prepares for another Moonblast, ready to finish the fight.

"Man, talk about strong. Goodra's been taking all those attacks and it's still standing." Draxon says

"Goodra can win this. Goodra, wrap it up." Ash says

Goodra looks up at Ash in surprise.

"You can still battle, can't you? Then, show us how strong you are." Ash says

"Pika, Pika!" Pikachu cheers

"Goodra." Goodra says nodding it's head.

The Dragon Pokémon stands up to it's former tormentor and uses a new move: Ice Beam, much to the group's surprise.

"Hey, is that-" Serena says

"Yeah. Goodra's using Ice Beam!" Clemont exclaims

"It learned Ice Beam! Yay! Yay! Yay!" Bonnie cheers

The Ice Beam repels Moonblast and lands a direct hit to Florges. The Garden Pokémon was sent flying by the attack and it crashes onto the ground. It tried to get back up, but it collapsed and was defeated. Florges' minions surrounded their leader, looking down at it concerned.

"That was great! Goodra won! Yippee yay yay!" Bonnie exclaims happily

Suddenly, a Shadow Ball and a Psybeam strikes Goodra in the side. Then, a small cube was tossed into the area near Florges, releasing a black smoke which blinded the area. When the smoke clears, Florges and it's army of Pokémon were gone. Ash, Draxon, and the other rush down to check on the badly hurt Goodra.

"Oh, no! Goodra, are you okay?" Ash asks worried

"Goodra." Ash says

"Where did that come from?" Clemont asks

"Poor Goodra. You okay?" Bonnie asks worried

"We've got to do something." Serena says

"Right." Ash says

Ash took out Goodra's Pokéball to beam it back inside. But before he could do it, a massive swarm of Shadow Heartless burst out from the ground ahead of the heroes. This was a Demon Tide. Ash and his friends, even the Pokémon look up in shock.

"Ah! What the?!" Ash exclaims

"Heartless!" Draxon exclaims

The Demon Tide flies around above the group, circling them like vultures. The black mass soon dives down and heads straight for them. Ash and his friends braced themselves as the Heartless loomed closer.

"Goodra!" Ash cries out

Ash covered Goodra with his own body to protect his friend. Just as the Heartless reached them, Draxon jumps in and cuts through the Demon Tide with his Keyblade, splitting the Heartless away from Ash, his friends, and the Pokémon. The group looked over at Draxon and saw that he was glowing with a bright blue aura of pure light. They also saw that his Keyblade was glowing with the same light.

"I'll deal with this!" Draxon says

Mew floats up to Draxon's side, making it's stand along with it's best friend.

"Mew! Let's go!" Draxon says

"Mew!" Mew says nodding it's head with a determined expression

Draxon and Mew both rush toward the Demon Tide, taking on the Heartless together.

Draxon jumps up and swings his Keyblade at the mass of Heartless with a right slash. He follows up with an upward and downward slash, a left and right slash, and a spinning slash. Each strike with the Keyblade made a bunch of Shadows fall out of the swarm and disappear. Mew encases itself in a pink barrier and rams itself into the Demon Tide multiple times. Then, Mew uses Ancient Power, conjuring up a silver ball of light and launching it at the black mass.

The Demon Tide swirls around in the air while the group stares up at it. All the eyes of the Shadows started to glow red and the black swarm flies straight at Draxon and Mew, who both quickly leap away to the left, dodging the black swarm. The Demon Tide charges at the two heroes again and again, but the young teen and small Pokémon dodged the charging attack each time.

Draxon ran alongside the Demon Tide and he swings his Keyblade with a right slash, launching a fireball at it. He launches three more fireballs at the Heartless, each with a swing of his Keyblade. Each fireball hits the Demon Tide with large-sized explosions, blasting away chunks of Shadows.

Mew transforms into Charizard and takes flight, flying alongside Draxon, roaring out to him, offering a ride. Draxon nods in acknowledgement and jumps onto Charizard's back. The two soared through the air as they engaged the Demon Tide in an aerial fight.

Draxon aims his Keyblade at the Demon Tide and shoots blue light blasts at the Heartless while Charizard flew alongside the black swarm. The Demon Tide flies further ahead, loops back around, and charges at the two. Charizard quickly dives down, dodging the Heartless, then flies back up and around in pursuit. The Flame Pokémon launches a strong Fire Blast from it's mouth at the Demon Tide, blasting a chunk of Shadows into oblivion. Then, Charizard uses Flamethrower, spewing a stream of fire upon the black swarm. Draxon aims his Keyblade at the Demon Tide and fires a powerful beam of blue light upon the Heartless, inflicting intense damage.

After a short fight, the Demon Tide flies off, retreating into the wetlands before it could be vanquished. Charizard touches down gently on the ground. Draxon climbs off the Pokémon's back and takes a few steps forward. An aura of light envelopes Charizard's body and it reverts back into Mew. The two watch as the Demon Tide flies off and out of sight. Turning back to the situation at hand, Draxon and Mew rush over to Ash and his friends.

"Are you guys alright?" Draxon says

"Yeah. We're fine." Ash says

"Pika, Pi." Pikachu says

"Wow. I've never seen so many Heartless." Serena says

"At least they're gone." Bonnie says

Clemont looks over at where Florges was and notices that both it and it's Pokémon army were gone.

"Huh. Florges... It's gone." Clemont says

"Let's get back to Keanan. Goodra needs medical attention." Draxon says

Ash nods his head and returns Goodra to it's Pokéball. The group began to head back with Goodra's Pokémon friends following close behind. Draxon stopped and looked back at where the Demon Tide flew off.

"Something tells me my mission here is gonna take while." Draxon thought to himself

( _Moments later_ )

The sun was setting and the group was now back at Keanan's hut. Goodra's friends stood outside, peeking into the window of the hut while Draxon, Ash, and their friends were inside, watching Keanan do all he could to help Goodra.

"There we go. I'm certain Goodra will be just fine. But even so, it needs lots of rest." Keanan says

Goodra was lying in bed with his body covered underneath the white sheets.

"Thanks much." Ash thanks grateful

"I don't think Florges will do anything for a while. That means a truce for the time being." Keanan says

"Yet, the Heartless are still out there." Draxon says

"Dedenne, keep an eye on Goodra, okay?" Bonnie says

Pikachu, Wooper, and Dedenne stood on the side of Goodra's bed. Each of them had a look of worry.

"De-ne-ne." Dedenne says

"Wooper..." Wooper says in a sad tone

"Pikachu." Pikachu says in a caring tone looking at Wooper

Ash looks up at Goodra's friends as they stood outside.

"Thanks for your concern. Leave the rest to us." Ash says

The Pokémon nod in acknowledgement and they set off elsewhere. Keanan walks into another room followed by Clemont.

"Excuse me, Keanan? Are there any Pokémon around here that can use Psybeam and Shadow Ball?" Clemont asks

"Huh? No. I don't believe any other Pokémon here could use those moves." Keanan says

( _Meanwhile_ )

In it's cave, Florges made it's recovery thanks to the spring's water. Also in the cave was Team Rocket.

"Well, all I can say is that was too close for comfort." Jessie says

"If you had lost, what do you think would've happened to that little one over there?" James says

"Wobba, Wobba." Wobbafett says

Florges looks over at it's child, which was an unconscious Floette.

"It touched us that you'd step up to the plate and battle as hard as you could to keep that little buddy of yours away from harm. And that's why we jumped in when we did. We know that Goodra like I know the back of my paw. The ups and downs. So if we join forces, we can beat that big lug for sure. You want to help your pal, don't you? So, listen up and listen well. Is it a deal?" Meowth says

Florges just sat there in the spring lost in it's thoughts.

( _Meanwhile_ )

Back at the hut, Ash sat in the room on a hammock with Goodra resting on it's bed. Pikachu, Wooper, and Dedenne were also resting. Serena and Bonnie were also in the room, though they could hardly sleep since they were worried for Goodra.

"You'd do anything for your friends, wouldn't you?" Ash says

Ash's mind went back to the events that happened earlier that day. Goodra standing up to Florges, taking the attacks for it's friends. As he sat there, he was soon joined by Draxon and Mew.

"Hey, you alright?" Draxon asks

Ash was snapped out of his thoughts and looks over at the two on his left.

"Yeah. I'm just concerned about Goodra." Ash says

Draxon sat down alongside Ash and places his right-hand on his left-shoulder.

"I am too. It fought a real hard battle, standing up to Florges like that." Draxon says

"Mew." Mew says nodding it's head in agreement

The three look back at Goodra.

"When we first met and Goomy wanted to get stronger, I think it was just so it could help them all out." Ash says

Draxon looks down at his hands. As he did, he thought about the times he and his friends would fight against the Heartless. Like the Tailbunker or the Avalanche that he fought alongside Roxas and Xion.

"I train in my abilities to wield the Keyblade all so I could help my friends. Roxas... Axel... and Xion... They're just some of my best friends I could ever hope for. Just as Goodra fights for it's friends, I fight for mine as well." Draxon says

Draxon looks at Ash.

"And I'm sure that you fight to help your friends, too." Draxon says

Ash stares at Draxon in surprise. He then smiles and nods his head. In another room of the hut, Clemont was with Keanan, looking over computer monitors to find answers behind the surprise attack on Goodra.

"Something's definitely not right. Let's take a look at the surveillance camera." Keanan says

"Okay. Maybe we can figure this out." Clemont says

As Clemont scans through the computer, he discovers something.

"Hey! It's them!" Clemont exclaims

Suddenly, the window in the hut was smashed open and Pikachu, Wooper, and Dedenne were wrapped up together in silk. They were then yanked out the window.

"Pikachu! Wooper! Dedenne!" Ash exclaims

Draxon and Ash jump out the window with Mew following them and saw that the three small Pokémon were being kidnapped by three Ariados. Also with them were three Beedril.

"Give back my Pikachu! Stop!" Ash shouts

The two boys and Mew give chase, but the Bedrill use Pin Missile, shooting the ground infront of them, stopping them in their tracks. Goodra heard the commotion and tried to get up much to Serena protests.

"No, Goodra! You need your rest." Serena says

Clemont, Keanan, and Bellsprout came into the room, also hearing the commotion.

"Serena? What happened?" Clemont asks

"Somebody's kidnapped Pikachu, Dedenne, and Wooper!" Serena says

"They just took them away!" Bonnie exclaims

"What?!" Keanan says shocked

Ash takes out two Pokéballs and tosses them up, sending out Frogadier and Fletchinder.

"Alright! Frogadier, use Water Pulse on Beedrill! And Fletchinder, cut that net, let's go!" Ash says

"Froga!" Frogadier says

"Fletchinder!" Fletchinder says

Before either Pokémon could make their move, a Stone Edge halts Frogadier while Fletchinder was shot down by Pin Missile fired by the Beedrill. In the hut, Goodra was still trying to stand up.

"You can't, Goodra. You need your rest." Serena says

Goodra was soon up on it's feet and it watched the commotion going on outside.

"Goo..." Goodra says in a worried tone

"Fletchinder, are you okay?" Ash asks concerned

"Frogadier." Frogadier says concerned

"Fletchinder." Fletchinder says weakly

Serena, Bonnie, Clemont, and Keanan came out of the hut. Serena and Keanan carry Goodra out, helping it walk as it struggled to stand.

"Ash! Draxon!" Bonnie calls out

Draxon and Mew move to pursue the kidnapped Pokémon, but a group of Pinsir, Beedrill, and Yanmega block their path.

"Why would they do such a thing?" Serena asks

Goodra steps forward and moves past Draxon, Mew, Ash, Frogadier, and Fletchinder, much to their surprise.

"Goodra? What are you doing?" Ash asks

Goodra approaches the Pokémon and speaks out to them.

"Goo! Goodra!" Goodra says in an angry tone

The Beedrill used Sludge Bomb while the Pinsir used Hyper Beam, launching their attacks at Goodra.

"Goodra!" Ash cries out

Draxon quickly got infront of Goodra and summoned his Keyblade. He then held it infront of him over his head, generating a spherical barrier of light around him and Goodra. Smoke filled the area after the attacks hit. When the smoke lifts, the Pokémon were gone.

"We've gotta get them back right away." Ash says

"Right." Draxon says

"Listen, guys, we saw something while analyzing the surveillance videos." Clemont says

"What did you see?" Draxon asks

"Team Rocket is clearly a part of this." Clemont says

"Those three again?" Draxon asks

Draxon remembers his last encounter with Team Rocket. It was during the time they were facing off against Belmondo and his Dark Clembot. He cut a hole in their balloon and sent them flying. How could they come back from something like that?

"I should've known." Ash says

"Team Rocket?" Keanan asks

"They're bad guys who are always up to no good and causing trouble by stealing other people's Pokémon." Serena explains

"I wonder if Team Rocket is using Florges and the others." Clemont says

"That sounds like something they'd do." Ash says

Ash turns to Goodra.

"Goodra, do you know where Florges is?" Ash asks

"Goo." Goodra says nodding it's head with certainty

"Good. Then lead the way." Ash says

With that said, Goodra heads out into the wetlands with Draxon, Mew, Ash, Serena, and Bonnie. Clemont was about to follow, but Keanan stops him.

"Hold on, Clemont." Keanan says

"Huh?" Clemont says

"Something's bothering me. I'll catch up after I look into it. For now, just make sure that you stay safe." Keanan says

"I understand." Clemont says

Having said that, Clemont went to catch up with the others.

( _Meanwhile_ )

At the spring cave, Pikachu, Dedenne, and Wooper were trapped in glass cases, courtesy of Team Rocket. They watch as Florges tends to Floette.

"Florges, please tell us. What's the status of your dear Floette?" Jessie asks

Florges looks over at the water, noting that it was lower than before.

"The water level's going down, right? Is that what you're trying to tell us? So Floette's not getting enough of the water's healing effect. None of this would've happened if it werent' for what that Goodra did." Meowth says

"Florges?" Florges says surprised

"Goodra wants to chase you all out of the wetlands and keep them for it's friends. That's why it came back with reinforcements like those Twerp Pokémon." Jessie says

"Pika, Pika!" Pikachu says angrily

"De-ne-ne!" Dedenne says angrily

"Wooper! Wooper!" Wooper says angrily

Meowth walks up to the trapped Pokemon and looks at them.

"Lia, liar, Pokémon pants on fire. The jig is up, so come clean for a change." Meowth says

"Wobba! Wobba!" Wobbafett says

"Not to mention they have that Keyblade Twerp with them." Jessie says

"Don't worry, we're on your side, Florges, and we're here 100 percent." James says

"Yup, we'll have your Floette feeling fit as a fiddle before you can say boo." Meowth says

"Right. Fret not. Those timid Twerps wouldn't dare make a single move as long as we got them under lock and key." James say looking at the trapped Pokemon

"Pikachu!" Pikachu says angrily

"De-ne-ne!" Dedenne says angrily

"Wooper!" Wooper says angrily

( _Meanwhile_ )

Back at Keanan's hut, the caretaker was examining a sample of the water under a microscope.

"Just as I suspected. The healing effect of the water has gotten quite weak." Keanan says

"Bellsprout, sprout, sprout, sprout." Bellsprout says concerned

"We'd better go check up on the source of the spring." Keanan says

( _Meanwhile_ )

The group made it to the area where Florges resided, but were met with a group of Pinsir, Beedrill, Yanmega and Ariados, who readied themselves for a fight.

"Now, hold on, we're not here to start a fight, okay?" Ash says

"We just want to talk." Draxon says

"Mew. Mew." Mew says

"We want Pikachu and the other Pokémon back." Ash says

"We know Team Rocket's around here somewhere. They're the bad guys. Don't let them fool you." Bonnie says

Not wanting to listen, the Pokémon attacked. An Ariados used Sludge Bomb while two Pinsir used Hyper Beam, hitting the ground infront of the group.

"Please stop! You gotta believe us!" Ash says

The Pokémon continued their attacks, intent on making the heroes leave.

"It's no use." Serena says

"But we've gotta do something." Bonnie says

"Chespin, Bunnelby, come on out!" Clemont says

Clemont tosses two Pokeballs into the air, sending out Bunnelby and Chespin.

"Use Mud Shot and Vine Whip!" Clemont commands

Bunnelby flings mud blasts with it's ears while Chespin sends out it's vines at the Pokemon, halting their attacks.

"We'll help too!" Serena says

Serena throws up a Pokéball and sends out Braixen.

"Braixen, use Flamethrower!" Serena commands

"Brai-xen!" Braixen says

The Fox Pokémon blows a stream of flames from it's mouth along the ground infront of the Pokémon.

"Go! We'll distract them!" Serena says

"Right." Ash and Draxon say in unison

"I'm coming with you!" Bonnie says

While Serena and Clemont kept the Pokémon busy, Draxon, Mew, Ash, Bonnie, and Goodra continued on towards the cave. There, they saw Florges with Floette in it's arms and two Seviper at it's sides.

"Florges, it's you!" Ash says

"Where's Dedenne?" Bonnie asks

"I'll bet Team Rocket put you up to this, didn't they? Trying to take over. Can't you see that they're all really bad guys?" Ash says

"He's right! They're not telling you the truth." Bonnie says

"Ges! Flor, Florges!" Florges says angrily pointing to the spring

The four look behind them and they saw the lack of water.

"The water's really low. Maybe that's why it's mad." Bonnie says

"Do you actually think we're responsible for that?" Ash asks

"Ges." Florges says nodding it's head

"You're wrong! We had nothing to do with any of that." Ash says

"Wait, Ash! Look." Draxon says

The heroes look over at Florges and notice Floette in it's arms.

"It's holding a Pokémon in it's arms." Draxon says

Ash pulls out his Pokédex and aims it at Floette.

 _"Floette, the Single Bloom Pokémon and the evolved form of Flabebe. Floette appears in flower gardens to welcome new blooms with a graceful dance."_ The Pokédex reads

"You're caring for it?" Ash asks

"Floette looks like it's sick." Bonnie says

"I think I understand. Florges brought Floette here to the spring so that it may heal from it's affliction. But because the water is low, the healing effect isn't helping Floette enough." Draxon says

Draxon looks over at Florges.

"Is that right?" Draxon asks

"Ges." Florges says nodding it's head

"Then, let us help you. We can help heal Floette together." Draxon says

Draxon offers his right-hand to Florges, much to it's surprise.

"Trust us. Trust me." Draxon says

Florges stares at Draxon. This was the first time a human ever lended it's aid to it. Florges looks down at Floette, then back up at Draxon. The Garden Pokémon smiles and nods it's head.

Suddenly, the ground starts to shake which catches everyone's attention.

"Hey, what's going on?" Ash says

"Look at the water!" Bonnie exclaims

Everyone looks down and their faces turn to shock as the water gets even lower until it was completely drained.

"Where'd all the water go?" Ash asks

Then, Team Rocket appears in front of the heroes with Pikachu, Dedenne and Wooper.

"Why don't you ask them?" Draxon says

"Prepare for trouble, it's running dry." Jessie says

"And make it double, 'cause we know why." James says

"To protect the world from devastation." Jessie says

"To unite all peoples within our nation." James says

"To denounce the evils of Truth and Love!" Jessie says

"To extend our reach to the stars above!" James says

"Jessie."

"James."

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light." Jessie says

"Surrender now or prepare for a thirsty fight!" James says

"Meowth, that's right!" Meowth says

"Wobbafett!" Wobbafett says with a salute

"Pikachu!" Ash cries out

"Dedenne!" Bonnie cries out

"So it was you after all." Ash says

"As if there was any doubt." Draxon says

"I'm actually quite impressed that you figured out we're the ones who were manipulating Florges." James says

"My brother figured it out. He knew you were the ones who attacked Goodra." Bonnie says

"So, the missing water was you're doing, right?" Ash says

"Perceptive, we not only stole every last drop from the spring, but from the entire wetlands." Jessie says

"Yeah, you would." Ash says

"I'm so sorry, Florges. I have to confess the reason Floette hasn't been feeling quite up to par lately is Team Rocket." Jessie says

"Why are you doing this?" Ash asks in a demanding tone

"You Twerps are as clueless as they come, aren't you? Florges took control of the water because Floette is feeling under the weather. Aw, touching. Makes you want to break down and cry, doesn't it. But we took it all for us instead." Jessie says

"Water that can heal the minds and bodies of Pokémon is worth a fortune and we're fortunate to steal it, dig?" Meowth says

"Wobbafett!" Wobbafett says

"Greed. Another bad quality of the heart." Draxon says

"How evil can you get?" Ash says

"Florges." Florges says angrily

"Us? You're quite the chump. Fooling a naive Pokémon like you was a piece of cake. And man, did that cake taste good." Meowth says

"Florges!" Florges says angrily

"Calm down!" James says

In that moment, James tosses down a cube, releasing smoke that blinds the heroes.

"Pika, Pika!" Pikachu says in panic

"Ah, but wait there's more." Jessie says

"We've got your friends!" James and Meowth taunt in a sing-song voice

"Stop!" Draxon shouts

Draxon summons his Keyblade into his right-hand and swings it with a right slash, blowing away the smoke with a strong gust of wind. When the smoke clears, Team Rocket was gone.

"No! They're gone!" Bonnie says

"Head outside!" Draxon shouts

The group rushes to get outside while Serena, Bonnie, and the Pokémon look on confused.

"Hey, what's going on?" Serena asks

"Serena! Clemont! Are you okay?" A voice calls out

The two teens turn around and saw Keanan rushing over to them.

"Keanan!" Clemont exclaims

"I need to know where Team Rocket is." Keanan says

Suddenly, they heard a buzzing noise in the air.

"Hey, that sound." Serena says

"What is it?" Clemont asks

Everyone looks up and they saw a Mantine aircraft lifting off. Draxon, Ash, Bonnie, and the Pokémon exit out of the cave just in time to see the aircraft as well.

"What's that?" Ash asks

"Judging from the 'R' on that aircraft, I'd say that Team Rocket's." Draxon says

"Team Rocket, come back!" Ash shouts

"Ash! Draxon!" Serena calls

The two boys look over to their left upon hearing their names.

"So it was Team Rocket, after all." Serena says

"Yes. They're inside that plane." Draxon says

"And so are Pikachu and the others." Ash says

"They have the stolen water, too." Draxon says

"You mean they took all of it?" Keanan asks

"Yes. Florges and it's friends took control of the spring because Floette is really sick and it needs help." Draxon says

"So Florges did all this so Floette could finally get well." Keanan says

The group looks up as Team Rocket's aircraft starts turning around as they prepared to make their escape.

"They're not getting away." Draxon says

Draxon looks right at Mew.

"Mew, let's go!" Draxon says

"Mew!" Mew says nodding it's head

Draxon and Mew began to glow with a blue aura and the young teen hovered above the ground. Then, they both fly up towards the aircraft. Ash and his friends watched them go, then he turned to Goodra.

"Goodra, let's help Draxon and take back that water. Get me up there." Ash says

"Goo." Goodra says nodding it's head

The Dragon Pokémon picks up Ash with it's feelers and throws him into the air. Draxon and Mew both land on the left-wing of the aircraft. They turned and saw Ash heading up towards them. Mew used it's Telekinesis and gently brought Ash onboard.

"Nice of you to drop in." Draxon says

"Ha. Wouldn't miss it." Ash says

Florges watched the whole thing from the ground and decided to join them. It hands Floette to a Pinsir, sits down on Yanmega's back, and heads up towards the aircraft.

"Florges, I'm really glad you came to help." Ash says

"Florges." Florges says nodding it's head

Goodra looked up and decided it wasn't gonna sit this out. Charging up it's Dragon Pulse, it turns and shoots at the ground, catapulting itself into the air and onto the aircraft. In the cockpit, the troublesome trio saw the heroes on the plane through a video screen.

"Looks like we have unwelcome guests on board." James says

"Alright, then simply throw them off." Jessie says

"Yeah." Meowth says

The plane shakes as Team Rocket tries to throw the five heroes off, but they manage hold on. Goodra uses Dragon Pulse and blasts a gap in the aircraft.

"Wow. Nice job, Goodra!" Ash says

"Goodra, Goodra!" Goodra says feeling proud

In the cockpit, the display showed the breach in the aircraft.

"Annoying brats!" Jessie says

"I'm sealing off the corridor in Area E. We can't just ignore them, so what do you recommend?" James says

"Educate them! Teach them a lesson, and give them the boot!" Jessie says

"Like this, switching to autopilot while we deal with this." Meowth says

Now inside, Draxon and Ash saw Pikachu, Dedenne, and Wooper at the opposite end of the area, trapped in light cages. They move to free them, but then they hear a noise.

"What's that?" Ash asks

Infront of them, the area starts to seal itself off.

"It's closing!" Draxon exclaims

Goodra rushes forward and blocks the doors from shutting using it's feelers.

"Go!" Draxon says

Draxon, Mew, Ash, and Florges make it through. Draxon saw that Goodra was stuck, so he comes back to it and uses his Keyblade to block the doors.

"I got it, Goodra! Go!" Draxon says

Goodra nods and makes it through. Draxon moves back from the doors and calls his Keyblade back into his hand. The Keyblade disappears in a flash of light and the doors shut.

"Man, that was a close one." Ash says

"Alright, let's get you guys free." Draxon says turning back to the trapped Pokémon

The heroes approach the cages, but were stopped by Team Rocket, who come out from a separate door.

"I think not." Jessie says

"Not you again." Ash says

"Hanging out with the Twerpish crowd, I see. Your usefulness has long since expired." James says

"Flor, Florges, Flor, Flor!" Florges says angrily

"Boo-hoo, you're mad that we pulled the wool over your eyes and now you want all your water back." Meowth says

"It's not our fault that you're a fool. Acting like some sort of royalty. Well, not anymore." Jessie says

"Pikachu stays with us!" James says

James takes out his Pokéball and sends out Inkay while Jessie sends out Pumpkaboo.

"Inkay! Let's play!" James says

"You two, Pumpkaboo." James says

"Inkay!"

"Pumpkaboo!"

"Hey, you sure you're feeling up to this?" Ash says

"Goodra." Goodra says nodding it's head determined to fight

"Pumpkaboo! Show Florges your Shadow Ball!" Jessie commands

"Florges!" Florges says initiating it's attack

"Now! Inkay, use Psybeam on Florges!" James commands

"In-kay!" Inkay says launching it's attack

Goodra was hit by both attack and it staggered backwards.

"Goodra, no!" Ash cries out

"Goodra's still not fully healed from before." Draxon says

"Which gives Pumpkaboo the chance to use Dark Pulse on Goodra." Jessie says

"While Inkay uses Psybeam!" Jessie says

Both Inkay and Pumpkaboo prepared their attacks. But before they could launch them, Florges uses Petal Blizzard, which hits both Pokémon, which knocks them into the cages, releasing Pikachu, Wooper and Dedenne.

"Are you okay?" Ash asks

"Pikachu!"

"Dedenne!"

"Wooper!"

"Well, that's a relief." Ash says

The heroes turned back to Team Rocket who sent their Pokémon to attack.

"Alright, Pumpkaboo, use Dark Pulse on Goodra once more with feeling!" Jessie says

"Inkay, now show Florges why your Psybeam is second to none!" Jessie says

Pumpkaboo and Inkay repeat their attacks again, but just like before they are countered and overpowered by Florges' Solar Beam and Goodra's Ice Beam.

"Florges!"

"Goodra!"

Pumpkaboo and Inkay were hit and sent flying into the Team Rocket Trio and out of the aircraft.

"We're blasting off again!" The Team Rocket Trio scream as they disappear into the night sky

With the troublesome trio gone, the heroes move to make their exit. However, the damage to the aircraft was substantial and was causing complications. Serena saw that the aircraft was going down and she begged for the Pokemon to help.

"All of you! We need your help! Save Ash and Draxon!" Serena begs

The Bug Pokémon nod their heads in acknowledgement and they fly up to lend their help. On the plane, the heroes look down as the ground got closer.

"The planes going down! We need to get off this thing now!" Draxon says

Draxon turns to Mew.

"Mew, take Pikachu, Dedenne, and Wooper. Ash and I will be right behind you." Draxon says

"Mew." Mew says nodding it's head

Using it's psychic powers, Mew lifted up Pikachu, Dedenne, and Wooper and brings them safely to the ground. Draxon and Ash look down and saw the Bug Pokémon flying up to them.

"Looks like our ride's here. Let's go!" Draxon says

Suddenly, the plane shakes even more, throwing Florges off. Fortunately, Goodra manages to catch her. But then, the aircraft begins to explode, causing Goodra to fall as well.

"Goodra!" Ash cries out

"Jump!" Draxon shouts

The two boys jump out of the aircraft just as it explodes. They manage to catch up with Goodra and Florges and they all fall together. Three Beedrill fly up to try and save them, but they were too heavy.

"Quick! Help them out with Water Gun!" Keanan says

Wooper, Gulpin, Lotad and Quagsire all use Water Gun to slow their landing. They touch down safely and unharmed. Mew, Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie rush up to Draxon and Ash.

"Ash! Draxon! You're alright!" Serena says

"Thanks, everyone. You were great." Ash says

"Pika!" Pikachu calls out

"Pikachu!" Ash exclaims happily

Pikachu leaps up into Ash's arms and the two hug it out. Draxon felt glad that Ash had his best friend back. He looks over at Mew, who floated next to him on his right, and the two smile.

Suddenly, the happy moment was rudely interrupted by the Demon Tide which shoots up from the ground not far from the group.

"Huh? Ah! The Heartless are back!" Ash gasps

"Pika!" Pikachu gasps

The Demon Tide swirls around in the air above the group, then dives back down into the ground. Darkness began to spread across the dry wetlands. Then, an orange orb of Shadows slowly emerges from the darkness and a mass of Shadows swirl around it in a twister formation. This was a Demon Tower.

"Leave this to me! You guys stay back!" Draxon says

Draxon summons his Keyblade into his hand and rushes to face the Demon Tower with Mew right alongside him.

"It's time I finish my mission!" Draxon says

The Demon Tower attacks first, launching multiple Shadows at the two. Draxon raises his Keyblade over his head and generates a spherical barrier of light around him and Mew. The Shadows hit the barrier and are destroyed on impact, leaving Draxon and Mew unscathed. Then, the Demon Tower aggressively charges forward at the two heroes. Draxon and Mew both jump over to the right, dodging the black swarm.

Draxon rushes at the Demon Tower while cloaked in a barrier and slams into it. Upon making contact, the barrier shatters, unleashing a series of small, but effective explosions. The attack exposes the glowing orange core, leaving it vulnerable. Draxon leaps up at the core and strikes it with a right slash. He follows up with a somersault slash, a spinning slash, a right slash, an uppercut slash, and a downward slash. The core turns violet in color and it expels an aura of darkness, sending Draxon flying back. The young teen slides back to a stop next to Mew.

Mew uses Ancient Power, conjuring up a silver ball of light and launching it at the black swarm. The attack inflicted a great deal of damage. The Demon Tower retaliates by launching Shadows at the small Pokémon. Mew quickly teleports away in a flash of light, dodging the attack. Once reappearing, Mew transforms into a Salamence. With a mighty roar, Salamence unleashes a powerful Hyper Beam at the Demon Tower. The attack blasts dozens of Shadows into oblivion, exposing the glowing core.

Draxon moves in and attacks the core with his Keyblade. He begins his assault with a charging spinning attack, striking the core like a drill. He follows up with a right upward slash, a somersault slash, a downward slash, a right slash, and a roundhouse slash. Then, he strikes the Heartless with four spinning slashes, whirling forward and backward twice with his Keyblade enveloped in light. Each strike left trails of light specks in it's wake. Finally, Draxon raises his Keyblade over his head and smashes it down on the core, delivering a strong overhead strike.

Salamence flies in toward the Demon Tower to help Draxon out with the core. As it does, it's head began to glow with a blue light. This was a move known as Zen Headbutt. Within moments, Salamence rams it's head into the core, dishing out significant damage. The Dragon Pokémon follows up with Dragon Tail, slamming it's long tail at the Heartless. Then, Salamence uses Flamethrower, unleashing a powerful stream of flames upon the core.

The Demon Tower began to initiate it's attack with the Shadows' eyes glowing red. Noticing this, Draxon and Salamence immediately back away from the Heartless. The black swarm launches orbs of Shadows into the air, which then rain down at the two heroes. Draxon quickly jumps onto Salamence's back and the two flew around the area, dodging the orbs. Once the attack had ceased, Salamence charges up another Hyper Beam and fires it at the Demon Tide. As it had before, the attack decimates the Heartless, exposing it's weakened core.

Seeing his chance, Draxon jumps off Salamence's back and dives down at the Demon Tower. As he flies toward the Heartless, his body becomes cloaked in light. Draxon grips his Keyblade with both hands, brings it up over his right-shoulder, and smashes into the core. He then warps around the core, attacking the Demon Tower ten times with charging strikes. Draxon reappears hovering high above the Heartless with his Keyblade held infront of his face and his eyes closed. He opens his eyes and raises his Keyblade above his head. The crystal Keyblade shined brightly, illuminating the wetlands with it's benevolent light, capturing the amazement of Ash, his friends, and all of the Pokémon. With the Keyblade powered up, Draxon falls toward the Demon Tower and slices through the core with a final, devastating blow.

Shortly afterwards, beams of light started shooting out of the core in multiple directions. The core then began to shrink in size until it detonated in a large explosion, illuminating the whole area in flash of light. All of the Heartless were obliterated in the explosion. Draxon, Salamence, Ash, his friends, and all the Pokémon shielded themselves from the blinding light. The explosion lasted for several seconds until it finally diminished.

Everyone looked and saw that the Heartless were gone and the area was clear. With the fight now over, Draxon de-summoned his Keyblade and Salamence changed back into Mew.

"Amazing. All of those black creatures were destroyed by that explosion." Keanan says

"That's the awesome power of the Keyblade." Ash says

"Pika, Pika!" Pikachu says in agreement

Draxon and Mew made their way back over to Ash, his friends, and the Pokémon.

"Is everyone alright?" Draxon asks

"Mm-hm. We're fine." Serena says

"Yeah. Thanks to you and Mew. The Keyblade is so amazing." Ash says

Ash looks up at Goodra.

"Don't you think, Goodra?" Ash asks

"Goodra." Goodra says nodding it's head in agreement

"All of the Pokémon are safe, too." Clemont says

Draxon nods his head.

"Glad to see that everyone's okay." Draxon says

The Keyblade Wielder turns and looks at the surrounding area, noting the dry ground

"Now, let's see if we can do something about this." Draxon says

( _Moments later_ )

The group examines the ground around the wetlands and saw that it had completely dried out.

"Oh, no! There's not even a hint of water left." Clemont says

"Without water, none of the plants will be able to survive. This is such a beautiful area, but now I'm afraid all the Pokémon will lose their home." Keanan says

Goodra puts on a determined face, takes a few steps forward, and lets out a cry into the sky.

"Goo!" Goodra says

Clouds began forming in the sky and rain starts to fall onto the wetlands.

"Is that Rain Dance?" Ash asks

"Goodra's amazing." Serena says

Water began to rise up in the wetlands, filling the empty ponds and streams.

"Look at all the beautiful water." Keanan says kneeling down to the nearby stream

Florges closes it's eyes and lends it's power using Grassy Terrain. A bright blue-green wave sweeps across the wetlands, healing the withered plants and dying trees and restoring them back to life.

"Wow. Everything's coming back to life." Serena says

The sun started to rise over the horizon. It's light made the wetlands appear even more beautiful. Everyone stared in wonder and amazement.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon, Mew, Ash and his friends, Goodra, Florges, and a few of the wetland Pokémon were now in the cave where the spring was now full of water. Florges placed Floette into the water. Seconds pass. The group watched with concerned expressions, expecting the healing waters to do their job. The seconds soon turned into minutes. Now, everyone was beginning to worry that it was too late.

"Something must be wrong. The water's healing effects isn't enough." Keanan says

"Oh no!" Bonnie gasps

"Floette..." Ash says in a sad voice

"Pikachu..." Pikachu says in a sad voice

Draxon stares at the sick Floette. Then, he looks down at his right-hand, staring into his open palm. If the waters healing powers weren't enough to heal Floette, then maybe his power could help heal it. Gripping his hand into a fist, Draxon put on a determined look on his face and stepped forward.

"Huh? Draxon?" Ash says confused

"Stand back." Draxon says

Draxon kneels down to Floette and stretches out both hands to it. He closed his eyes and concentrated on using his healing powers. His hands began to glow with a blue aura and a blue light emits from his open palms. The same aura soon enveloped Floette's body. Everyone watched in pure amazement. Specks of light traveled from Draxon's hands and floated their way over to Floette. The light entered Floette's body, emitting a brief shine. The healing process lasted a full minute before Floette eventually opened it's eyes.

"Flo..." Floette says

"Floette's getting well!" Bonnie exclaims

"What a wonderful sight to see." Clemont says

The light that enveloped the Pokémon's body faded away now that it was healed. Draxon lowered his hands and the light that glowed in his palm faded away. The young teen let out a sigh of slight exhaustion having done his magic. He rose up and stepped away to make way for Florges. The Garden Pokémon picked up Floette and was happy to see it was healthy again. Florges turned and looked at Draxon full of gratitude.

"Florges." Florges says thanking Draxon

"You're very welcome." Draxon says nodding his head with a smile

Floette floated up to the young teen and looked at him with a curious, yet happy expression. Draxon simply smiled and nodded his head to the small Pokemon. Floette then took hold of Florges' and Goodra's hands, bonding them together, much to their surprise. But nonetheless, the two Pokémon smiled. These two who were once rivals were now friends. The rest of the Pokémon soon joined in on the happy moment.

"Look at that." Bonnie says

"I'm so glad they're all friends." Serena says

Draxon looks on and was also glad that the Pokémon were now getting along. Combing his healing magic with the water's own healing power certaintly did the trick in helping Floette. While everyone was happy, Ash felt troubled. Watching Goodra be with it's friends, Ash felt that perhaps Goodra would be happier here. But that would mean he would have to say good-bye.

( _Moments later_ )

The Pokémon were now in the wetlands, happily playing with each other while Draxon, Ash, and their friends all watched from atop a hill.

"They're all having so much fun. Now there's nothing to worry about." Serena says

Serena looks right at Ash.

"Great! Right, Ash?" Serena says

"Hey, Goodra." Ash says

"Goodra?" Goodra says

"I think you should stay here." Ash says

Everyone was shocked by what Ash had said.

"This place is where you really belong, right? At home in the wetlands. Don't you think so?" Ash says

"Huh? The wetlands? What are you talking about?" Serena asks

"But that means good-bye." Bonnie says

"Yeah, I know. This is hard for me too. But Goodra you're strong now. You're not a little Goomy anymore. Now you can help protect all your friends. And you'll all be able to live happily together. That's what you wanted most of all, right?" Ash says

Goodra looks down at the Pokémon, then looks at Ash with a sad expression. Soon, Goodra burst into tears, hugging it's trainer.

"I think Ash is right. Maybe it is the best thing for Goodra. The wetlands and for all these Pokémon." Clemont says

Now, it was Ash's turn to break into tears.

"Even if we're far apart, no matter what happens, we'll always be friends." Ash cries

"Goodbye, Goodra. I'll never forget you." Serena says wiping the tears from her eyes

"And please, don't forget about us. We're forever friends!" Bonnie cries

Bonnie hugs her brother, exploding with tears

"Now look at me. I'm all slimy, aren't I?" Ash says rubbing the tears from his face

Dedenne jumps onto Goodra's chest and cries. Goodra looks down at the small mouse with a sympathy and smiles affectionately.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon, Ash, and their friends were now ready to take their leave and continue on, but not before saying farewell to Goodra.

"Take care of yourself, Goodra! You and all your friends!" Ash says waving his right-arm

"Pika, Pika!" Pikachu says waving it's left-paw

All of the wetland Pokémon waved Draxon, Ash, and their friends good-bye. And with that, Ash and his friends set off on the road to Laverre City with Draxon and Mew following them.

( _Moments later_ )

The group of heroes were now travelling on the road after leaving the wetlands. Draxon felt that he had learned a lot during his time here with Ash and his friends. How strong the bonds are between humans and Pokémon. How rivalries can be put aside to help out for the greater good of the enviornment. And how hard it can be at times to say farewell to friends who have been with you for so long. And now, it was his turn to say farewell to his friends. Draxon and Mew stopped while Ash and the others kept walking.

"Hey, Ash." Draxon says

Ash and his friends stopped and turned to Draxon and Mew.

"I think it's time for me and Mew to leave as well." Draxon says

"Huh? Really?" Ash asks

"Do you have to go?" Bonnie asks feeling a bit disappointed

"Yes. I have my own friends to look out for. And I think I've been away from them long enough. My mission here is done, and I have other places to be. But just remember, no matter how far we are apart, no matter what happens, we'll always be friends. And I'll always be here for you. For you and the Pokémon." Draxon says

Draxon smiles.

"So keep on with your adventures and keep tackling those gyms, huh?" Draxon says

Ash stares at Draxon a bit surprised, but he soon smiles and nods his head.

"You bet!" Ash says

"Pikachu!" Pikachu says

"You and Mew take care of yourselves." Serena says

"Stay safe." Clemont says

"Hope we'll see you again soon." Bonnie says

"De-ne-ne!" Dedenne says

"Catch ya later!" Draxon says waving his right-hand

Having said farewell, Draxon and Mew went back the way they came while Ash and his friends continued on their path to Laverre City.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Roxas and Axel were already sitting at the top of the clock tower, enjoying their time together. But they were wondering why Draxon and Mew haven't shown up yet.

"Where's Draxon?" Roxas asks

"Maybe his mission was a long one. Remember when I had to go chasing that one Heartless around while I was covering for you two and Xion?" Axel says

"Yeah." Roxas says

"I'm sure he'll come around." Axel says

As if on cue, Draxon and Mew come around the corner with Sea-Salt Ice Cream in their hands.

"Sorry we're a bit late, guys." Draxon apologizes

"Mew." Mew says

"See? What'd I tell you?" Axel says

"Draxon, where were you?" Roxas asks

"In Kalos and let me tell you our mission was a tough one. You guys would not believe what me and Mew went through." Draxon says

"Well, we're just glad you two made it back." Roxas says

Draxon sat down next to Roxas while Mew floated alongside him.

"Did something happen yesterday?" Axel asks

"Nah, it's nothing." Roxas says

"Girls sure are complicated, huh?" Axel says

The two boys look at Axel in surprise.

"What?" Draxon asks

"How did you know that?" Roxas asks

"Don't take it personally. Most Nobodies aren't." Axel says

"So you're saying... real people are more complex than us?" Draxon asks

"Well, sure! Especially if they're real and female. That's like a double dose of complicated." Axel says

"So... what about a Nobody girl like Xion?" Roxas asks

"Single dose." Axel says

"Still sounds a bit confusing." Draxon says

"Yeah. I'm lost." Roxas says

"Well, the important thing to remember when dealing with girls is not to push the wrong buttons." Axel says

Axel points to his head.

"Got it memorized?" Axel asks

"Hmm... Yeah..." Roxas says

"Wish you would've told us that before." Draxon says

"Just give her some time." Axel says

"Why?" Roxas asks

"Because if you two rush in and try to fix things, you'll just push more buttons." Axel says

"Fine." Roxas says

"I suppose you're right, Axel." Draxon says

"You two'll patch things up with her. Trust me." Axel says

"I hope so." Roxas says

The four friends stare out at the sunset, taking in the sight as they continue to enjoy their evening.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Draxon and Mew are back in Kalos and in their next mission, they team up with Ash and his friends on their adventure in the wetlands. This mission combines the two-part episodes from Pokémon XY: Kalos Quest. Draxon meets up with Ash and his friends out on the road, and then they meet Keanan, the caretaker for the wetlands. They head for the Goodra's home in the wetlands and discover that there's trouble: Florges and it's army of Pokémon. But later on, they get even more trouble: The Heartless and Team Rocket. Working together, they settle the rivalry of Florges and Goodra, and face off against the three villains and the dark creatures and send them packing, or in Team Rocket's case, blasting off. The wetlands are restored to it's former beauty and all of the Pokémon become friends. Ash says farewell to Goodra, which is a really heart-felt moment. Then, Draxon and Mew leave to continue their own journey. So what lies next for our heroes. Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


	19. Disjointed Days

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 _ **~ Day 153 ~**_

 _ **Disjointed Days**_

( _Olympus Coliseum_ )

A dark corridor opens up at the coliseum and out steps Roxas and Demyx. The two of them were on a mission together on Heart Collection duty. While Roxas was ready to carry out his task, Demxy wasn't so enthusiastic about it.

"We're on heart collection today, right?" Demyx says

Demyx sighs.

"I'm so not cut out for combat." Demyx says

Demyx slumps over.

"Would it kill them to give me a recon mission or... I don't know, something un-violent." Demyx says

"Follow me. We'll find the Heartless in here." Roxas says

The two Nobodies look up at the entrance to the coliseum.

"Okay, right on... Ooh, but should we just go waltzing in? Won't someone see us?" Demyx says

"Don't worry. We'll just say you're another aspiring hero here for some training. Trust me. It'll be fine." Roxas says

"Wait, training?! That sounds like work which means sweating. Which is gross." Demyx says

"It's that or stay out here." Roxas says

"Hmm... acutally." Demyx says

Demyx pondered to the decision, but he soon came up with an idea.

"Yeah!" Demyx says

"What?" Roxas asks

"We'll split up! And uh... form two strike forces! I'll handle the Heartless out here. You take the ones inside. Covering a broader range means a more efficient collection, right?" Demyx says

"I guess?" Roxas says

Demyx then thought to himself with a smug look on his face.

 _"And while you collect hearts, maybe I can collect some Z's..."_ Demyx says in his thoughts

"What's the matter?" Roxas asks

"Nothing! Nothing! Well, good luck in there, Roxas." Demyx says

With that said, Demyx walks off in another direction while Roxas entered the coliseum. The young teen came into the vestibule and looked around. He was expecting to see Phil inside waiting for him, but he didn't see him anywhere.

"Huh. He's not here." Roxas says

Suddenly, Roxas heard Phil's voice.

"C'mon! Is that all you got!? You call yourself a hero and use form like that?" Phil says

Roxas looked straight at the entrance to the arena, noticing that Phil's voice was coming from there. He entered the arena and saw Hercules go through his training with Phil.

"Put some zing into it! Stay focused!" Phil says

First, Hercules was swinging a sword around, taking practice swings.

"All right, next exercise! Keep moving! No breaks!" Phil says

Then, Hercules got down and did several push-up using only his right-arm while Phil sat on top of him.

"C'mon! You can take more than this!" Phil says

Roxas watched the rigorous training of Hercules until he heard a voice behind him.

"Blegh... What a tyrant!" A familiar voice says

Roxas turned around and saw Demyx.

"Demyx?" Roxas says

"I'd be running out the door in tears after ten minutes of that." Demyx says

"Done with all the Heartless outside already?" Roxas asks

"The what? Oh, right, uh... yeah! Yeah, they sure picked on the wrong guy to mess with! I finished early so I dropped by to see how you were doing." Demyx says

"I haven't seen any Heartless yet." Roxas says

"Yeah? Well, no biggie! I'll just find a nice comfy spot and kick back for a while." Demyx says

Leaving Roxas to his task, Demyx leaves the arena. Roxas turns back around and watches Hercules continue his push-ups.

"Seems like that guy is getting trained harder than I was. Why's he getting yelled at like that when he's doing such a solid job? Is he that much stronger than me?" Roxas asks

"All right, Herc. That's it for today. Rest up for the next one." Phil says

Having finished his training, Hercules went off elsewhere while Phil walked towards Roxas.

"Hey, there's my rookie! Ready for today's training, kid? Just say the word." Phil says

"Um, okay." Roxas says

"Great! Let's get this show on the road!" Phil says

( _Moments later_ )

Phil set up the arena for Roxas, placing barrels around the area. Just as Roxas was about to begin his training, some Heartless appeared. These were Loudmouths. Roxas summoned his Keyblade and got into battle stance.

The young teen noticed that the Heartless were close to the barrels. Seeing this gave Roxas an idea. Rushing forward, Roxas swung his Keyblade with a reverse roundhouse slash, sending a barrel flying into a Loudmouth. The barrel smashes into the Heartless, destroying it. Roxas turned to the other Loudmouths that were around the arena and went to work. Using the barrels, he sends them flying into each Heartless that was in the arena. He even managed to take out groups of them with an explosive barrel. The training went on for a whole minute until all the barrels and the Heartless were destroyed.

Having completed his training, Roxas went back into the vestibule with Phil.

"Nice work. That's a good run for today. I gotta tell ya, kid. I'm impressed. I think you're ready for the big time. So, I'm clearing ya to enter the Games!" Phil says

"You are!?" Roxas asks surprised

"Yup. You can try for the Rookie Cup, anyway. I figure you may not place, but at least you'll put up a decent show. In the meantime, we'll keep you up to your elbows in training! So stay sharp!" Phil says

"Speaking of which, who was that you were training before me?" Roxas asks

"Oh, Herc? He's another student of mine. Been at it a long time now." Phil says

"Why were you working him so much harder than you do me? Is he that strong?" Roxas asks

"Well, sure. He's a hero, kid. If I put a squirt like you through that, you'd croak on me. And it's not just that. Of all the heroes I've trained, he's special. Maybe the best. I got high hopes for him. He's gonna be 'The One'! Ahem... Enough talk about Herc. You just worry about getting in shape for the tournament. I got two words of advice for ya... Eat. Sleep. Train! Remember, I got expectations for you too, kid." Phil says

So that's what it was. Phil was training Hercules hard because he had high expectations for him. Roxas wondered if the Organization was doing the same for him because they had high expectations. Not just for him, but for Draxon too. He had always proven to be the strongest of the two since he was Devon's Nobody. However, Roxas didn't understand the meaning of expectations to begin with.

 _"So people work you harder when they have expectations? The Organization expects me and Draxon to do hard missions all the time. But aren't expectations the same thing as orders?"_ Roxas thought to himself

Roxas left the vestibule and returned to Demyx who was waiting for him by the entrance, standing next to one of the leaderboards.

"Hey, Roxas. You done in there?" Demyx asks

"Huh? Yeah..." Roxas says

"What's up, man? You look out of it." Demyx asks

"What kind of missions do you usually work?" Roxas asks

"Me? Recon stuff, mostly." Demyx says

"No taking out Heartless?" Roxas asks

"Nah, it's rare that I do anything that strenuous." Demyx says

"But aren't you expected to?" Roxas asks

"Ha, they know better than that. They wanna keep the machine running, they pick the right tools for the job." Demyx says

"And that's me?" Roxas asks

"Did something happen in there, man?" Demyx asks

"No, it's nothing. C'mon. Let's head back." Roxas says

"Good. 'Cause hunting missions are seriously not my scene." Demyx says

And so, Roxas and Demyx entered the dark corridor and left the Olympus Coliseum.

( _The Dragon Realms_ )

A dark corridor opens up infront of the new Dragon Temple right at the foot of the ramp and Draxon steps out with Mew following him, arriving in the City of Warfang. They had been sent here by Saix to eliminate a Behemoth that was somewhere in the Dragon Realms. Around that time, Ember, Flame, and Sparx come walking out of the temple. The trio look down and they saw the Keyblade Wielder.

"Draxon!" Ember exclaims happily

Both young dragons and dragonfly rush down to greet their friend.

"You're back!" Ember says

"Hey, Ember. Hey, guys." Draxon greets waving his hand

"How've you been?" Flame asks

"Good. And you?" Draxon says

"Great. We've been training hard ever since you left." Flame says

"And I'm getting to be quite a fighter. No Heartless will wanna tassle with a girl like me now that I'm stronger." Ember says

Draxon looks over at Sparx, who seemed to be a bit happier now that he was hanging out with Ember and Flame.

"Hey, Sparx. How are you doing?" Draxon asks

"I'm doing alright, buddy. And now that I'm tagging along with these two, it's actually turning out to be kinda fun." Sparx says

"Well, I'm glad to see that you're feeling better." Draxon says

The young teen looks back down at the two dragons.

"And speaking of Heartless, have you two seen any around?" Draxon asks

"No. Not since we sent them packing the last time you were here." Flame says

"Well, not in the city, at least. We've been hearing of Heartless in the Valley of Avalar. Flame and I weren't really allowed to leave the city since we were inexperienced fighters. So, we don't really know how to get there." Ember says

"Maybe the Dragon Guardians can point the way for us. And I'm sure they'll let you both tag along now that me and Mew are here." Draxon says

"Okay. Let's go see them." Ember says

With that said, the five friends head into the Dragon Temple to speak to the Dragon Guardians.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon, Mew, Ember, Flame, and Sparx met with the three guardians: Terrador, Volteer, and Cyril. Also with them was the cheetah warrior, Hunter.

"I'm glad that you're here, Draxon. We've been getting reports from Chief Prowlus and his cheetahs about Heartless lurking about in the Valley of Avalar. I'm certain that they seem to be coming from the caves that are within the valley. We need you to clear them out." Terrador says

"That's exactly why I'm here. I'll get the job done." Draxon says

"Thank you. We will be waiting to hear back from you." Terrador says

"Oh, I actually have a request. Is it alright if Ember and Flame can come with me to help deal with the Heartless?" Draxon asks

Ember and Flame looked at each other surprised having heard what Draxon said. He wanted them to join him on his mission. Even the Dragon Guardians were a bit surprised by this request, but nonetheless they accepted it.

"Of course. I understand that they've been training hard and they've already proven themselves to be capable warriors. They can accompany you on your mission." Terrador says nodding his head

"Thank you, Terrador. We won't let you or the other guardians down." Flame says

"We'll show those Heartless and give them a good kicking!" Ember says

"Hey now hold it! You guys won't be going anywhere without me. There ain't no way I'm sitting this one out. I'm always one for some action. You'll need your good 'ol friend Sparx to help light your way in those dark, spooky caves. And I'll be sure to give them Heartless what for!" Sparx says making some kung fu moves before gesturing to himself with his thumb and a smile on his face

"I will also be accompanying you. I know the pathway to the Valley of Avalar. I've traveled them before with Spyro and Cynder. I can help lead the way." Hunter says

"Alright. Then, let's go." Draxon says

And so, the six heroes left the Dragon Temple and they set off for the Valley of Avalar.

( _Moments later_ )

Hunter led the group as they traveled through the Forbidden Tunnel out of the city. The very same one that Devon, Spyro, Cynder, and their friends took to get into the city during the war against Malefor. It wasn't long before they made it into the Valley of Avalar. Draxon, Mew, Ember, and Flame stared at the valley in amazement. They had never been able to explore out of the Dragon City until now. The valley was still peaceful and beautiful as it was before. The streams flowed with pure fresh water. The birds flew across the skies, chirping happily. And butterflies flapped around meadows of colorful flowers.

"So where should we start?" Draxon asks

"The reports about the Heartless came from the Cheetah Village not far from here. Chief Prowlus is a good friend of mine. He should know where the Heartless are coming from. Follow me. If we follow the river, it should take us straight to the village." Hunter says

The group walks along the riverbank, following it's path as it led them into the valley. The trek lasted for at least an hour before they arrived at the village where they were greeted by Chief Prowlus.

"Hunter." Prowlus greets

"Chief Prowlus." Hunter greets

"It is good to see that you have returned." Prowlus says

The cheetah then looks over at Draxon.

"So this must be the Keyblade Wielder that saved two of my cheetah warriors." Prowlus says

"Yes. His name is Draxon. And he is here to help with the Heartless." Cheetah says

Draxon took a few steps forward and he nodded his head to the chief cheetah.

"Do you know where we can find them?" Draxon asks

Prowlus nods his head.

"This way." Prowlus says

The cheetah led the heroes through the village, passing by many cheetah warriors that were either training or keeping an eye out for Heartless. Eventually, they stop at the south end of the village.

"The Heartless have been coming from the cave just south of here. Our warriors were able to fend them off just before you arrived, but more keep reappearing." Prowlus says pointing out into the valley

"If that's the case, then there must be a leader. A Heartless that commands the lesser ones. We take down the Heartless leader, then the rest of the Heartless will retreat back into the darkness." Draxon says

"You seem to know what you're doing, I'll give you that. We'll leave the Heartless to you. Our warriors will keep a lookout for any Heartless that might try to spread throughout the valley." Prowlus says

"Alright. Then, we'd better get moving." Draxon says

And so, the heroes journeyed onwards into the valley, heading south with Hunter leading them. They crossed over rivers, climbed over hills, and made their way through the forests. They ran into a few Flutterings and Creeper Heartless on the way, but they made short work of them and continued on with their mission. Eventually, they came upon the cave where the Heartless were supposedly lurking inside.

"This must be it." Draxon says

"Alright. Let's go put some hurt on some Heartless." Sparx says

But before they could enter the cave, they were greeted by a group of Heartless: Four Satyrs, six Spear Lizards, two Vermilion Sambas, two Marine Rumbas, and six Chomper Eggs.

"Oh, great. The welcome committee." Sparx groans

"These are new." Draxon says

"We can take 'em." Flame says

"Yeah." Ember says

Hunter took out his longbow and notched an arrow, taking aim at the Heartless. Draxon took a few strides forward and stretches his right-hand out, summoning his Keyblade: Soul Calibur into his right-hand. He spun his Keyblade around and brought it infront of him, getting into battle stance.

The four Satyrs made the first move by rushing at the heroes with a shoulder charge, but they leapt away from the charging Heartless.

Draxon jumps up at one of the Vermilion Samba with a backwards somersault and slashes it four times. He performs another somersault, striking it with four more slashes, then slices the Heartless into oblivion with a downward slash. The other Vermilion Samba shoots a fireball at Draxon, but he quickly jumps back and hurls his Keyblade at it with a right toss. The Keyblade slices the Heartless in half across it's body, destroying it.

After dealing with the two Vermilion Sambas, Draxon turns his attention to the Marine Rumbas. One of them swoops down at him, swimming through the air in a jet stream of water, but he jumps and rolls to the left. Rising back up and turning toward the Heartless, Draxon holds his Keyblade out infront of him, conjuring up a magic attack. Blue electricity starts crackling and dancing all over his crystal Keyblade. Once he was fully charged, Draxon swings his Keyblade with a right slash, launching an electric blast at the Marine Rumba. The attack lands a direct hit and the Heartless is struck with a thousand volts of electricity before it finally disintegrates. Draxon turns back to face the other Marine Rumba to see that it has summoned three spheres of water around it. Soon, the Heartless launches the water spheres at Draxon. The young teen dodges the first one leaping to the right, dodges the second one by leaping backwards with a backflip, and dodges the third one by leaping high into the air. With his Keyblade still surging with electricity, Draxon flies forward at the Marine Rumba at lightning speed. As he soars through the air, his body becomes enveloped with light and electricity dances around his whole body. Within moments, he defeats the Heartless with a fast, devastating thrusting strike.

Mew was in a confrontation of it's own against a Satyr and two Spear Lizards. It wasn't long before the Heartless initiated their attack with the Satyr lowering it's visor and rushing at the small Pokémon with it's horns. Mew encased itself in it's pink spherical barrier and flies forward at the oncoming Heartless. The two sides clash and began pushing against each other. It seemed as though the Satyr had the upperhand at first due to it's size and strength, but Mew was still a powerful Pokémon. Mew bursts out from it's barrier in a flash of light which sent the Satyr staggering backwards. Then, it transformed into another Pokémon: Rhydon. With a mighty roar, Rhydon charges at the Satyr. As it does, it's horn becomes enveloped in a bluish-green light and it grew longer. This move was known was Megahorn. Within moments, Rhydon smashes into the Satyr with a brutal ramming attack, stabbing it's horn into it's body with the tip emerging from the Satyr's back. The Heartless disintegrates and it's heart floats away. The two Spear Lizards throw their fishbone spears at Rhydon, but they just harmlessly bounce off the Pokémon's tough hide like nothing. Rhydon turns to face the two Heartless and in response to their attack, it slams it's long tail into them, taking them both out with one powerful swipe.

Ember spews a fireball from her mouth at one of the three Chomper Eggs in her view, taking it out in one shot. A Chomper Egg launches it's own fireball at the pink dragoness, but she leaps up into the air, dodging the fiery projectile. She swipes her claws left and right at the Heartless, kicks it with her hind legs, and then performs a somersault, slamming her tail down on the Heartless, sending it crashing into the ground. The third Chomper Egg tries to take a bite at Ember with it's jaws, but she quickly moves to the left, dodging the attack. She grabs hold of it's tail with her teeth, slams the Heartless into the ground, and stomps down on it with her front paws.

The pink dragoness looked up and saw a Satyr with it's right-hand pulled back, ready to throw a punch. Ember gasped in surprise. She was barely able to avoid being struck by the Heartless and she jumped back a few feet away.

"Huh! That's no way to treat a pretty girl. Take this!" Ember says

Ember rams into the Satyr's stomach with her horns, making the Heartless lurch forward and fall down on one knee. She turns around and smacks her tail into it's face, swinging it left and right. Then, she kicks both her hind legs into it's face, causing the Heartless to stagger backwards and fall on it's back. Ember jumps up into the air with a somersault and barrels down on the Satyr, slamming into it's stomach. The Heartless disintegrates and it's heart floats away into the sky. The pink dragoness was proud of her accomplishment and she turns and lifts her tail straight up into the air in a taunting manner.

"Hmph!" Ember says

Flame jumps back as a Spear Lizard swung it's spear at him. The Heartless lunges at the young dragon, but he leans his body over to the left, making it miss. He disarms the Spear Lizard by grabbing and yanking it's spear out of it's hands with his teeth and counters with a frontal charge, ramming his horns into the Heartless and flipping it over him. A Chomper Egg launches a fireball at Flame, but he leaps over to the right, dodging the attack. Flame runs up to the Heartless, jumps up, and unleashes a stream of fire from his mouth, burning the Chomper Egg to a crisp and destroying it. Then, came the Satyr which rushed forward at Flame and threw a punch at him. The young dragon ducked down, avoiding the blow, and countered with a backflip, striking the Heartless in the head, causing it to stagger backwards. Flame shoots a fireball at the Satyr, landing a hit at it's chest. The fireball explodes on impact, sending the Heartless even further back. Then, Flame charges at the Satyr, jumps up, and rams his horns into it's chest, knocking it down on it's back. From there, the young dragon leaps up into the air and smashes down on the Heartless with a horn dive, defeating it.

Hunter aims his bow at one of the two Chomper Eggs and fires an arrow. The arrow lands a precise hit in the Chomper Egg's mouth, effectively taking it out. The other Chomper Egg launches a fireball from it's mouth at Hunter, but the cheetah warrior quickly leaps over to the left, dodging the attack. Rolling back onto his feet, he notches another arrow into his bow and fires it at the Heartless, defeating it as well. A Spear Lizard charges at Hunter with it's spear and lunges at him. Hunter saw the incoming Heartless and quickly jumped over to the right. As he got back on his feet, he switches out his bow for his sword. The Spear Lizard lunges at him again, but Hunter leaps over the Heartless with a somersault and counters the attack by sending his sword straight through dark creature's back, destroying it.

All that was left now was Draxon and the three remaining Heartless. He was currently facing off against two Spear Lizards and a Satyr. Rhydon, who reverts back into Mew, Ember, Flame, Sparx, and Hunter turned toward Draxon and watched as he took on the Heartless.

Draxon attacks the first Spear Lizard in his view with a downward slash and an uppercut slash, striking it both times in the head. He follows up with a reverse roundhouse kick to it's head, making it spin around. He then sweeps the Spear Lizard off it's feet with a swipe of his Keybade, causing it to fall over on it's back, and delivers the finishing blow, bringing his Keyblade down on the Heartless. The second Spear Lizard lunges it's spear at the young teen, but he leaps over to the left, dodging the attack. Draxon breaks the spear with a right swing of his Keyblade, then he knocks the Heartless into the air with two spinning slashes, and finishes it off with a powerful overhead strike.

The Satyr rushes at Draxon and throws two punches at him. The young teen dodges the first punch by leaning over to the left, and dodges the second one by ducking down. He counters the attack by jumping onto the Satyr's chest and knocking it back with a backflip kick under it's chin. Upon touching down, Draxon leaps forward at the Heartless with his body encased in a spherical barrier of light and slams into the Satyr's chest. On impact, the barrier shatters and unleashes a series of light explosions, sending the Heartless staggering even further. With the Satyr left weakened, Draxon takes his Keyblade with both hands and flies forward at the Heartless. As he closes in on the Heartless, his crystal Keyblade began to glow brightly with it's light. And within moments, Draxon cuts through the Satyr, and lands crouched down on the other side. The Heartless was sliced in half across it's body and it fell backwards, fading back into the darkness before it even touched the ground, releasing it's heart in the process.

Thus, the fight was over and the path into the cave was now clear.

"All right. That does it for the Heartless." Draxon says rising up on his feet

The Keyblade Wielder turns and looks over to his friends.

"Now, let's go find their leader." Draxon says

The small Pokémon, two dragons, dragonfly, and cheetah nod their heads in acknowledgement and they follow Draxon into the cave as they continued on with their mission. The cave was dark and gloomy, but fortunately for the heroes they had Sparx and Soul Calibur to help light the way. The group traversed the cave for minutes, running into a few Flutterings and Shadows along the way, but they easily cut through them and continue onwards. Eventually, they proceed into a large, wide cavern. Dozens of blue crystals were planted in the ground and on the walls all around the area, illuminating the cave with their bright, yet faint glow. They look around but don't see the Heartless leader anywhere.

"It appears we've reached the end." Hunter says

"Yeah." Draxon says

"Okay, we've gone through this whole cave and turned up squat." Sparx says flying a few feet ahead of the group

Sparx turns and faces his friends with a confident look on his face.

"So where's this big Heartless honcho, huh? Too scared to show it's face!" Sparx says crossing his arms

Suddenly, a large black mass begins to form in the center of the cavern, catching everyone's attention.

"Uh, Sparx..." Ember says

Sparx looked and noticed that his friends had stunned looks on their faces. Judging from their expressions, he could only assume one thing.

"It's right behind me, isn't it?" Sparx says pointing back with his right-thumb

Ember and Flame both nod their heads, confirming Sparx' fear. The dragonfly slowly turns around and saw the Behemoth towering over him. His jaw dropped when he saw the huge Heartless. Immediately, he flew back over to the safety of his friends, screaming.

"Aaaaahhhhh!" Sparx screams

The small dragonfly quickly flies over to Ember and hides behind her left hind leg.

"Th-th-th-that's a big one! A big one!" Sparx exclaims pointing at the Heartless

The Behemoth took one big step forward, making the ground shake. Draxon, Ember, Flame, and Hunter stumbled around a bit, but they were able to maintain their balance. The massive Heartless rear's it's head back and lets out a loud roar at the heroes. With his target in sight, Draxon summons his Keyblade into his right-hand and got into battle stance alongside Mew, Ember, Flame, and Hunter as they prepared to fight the Behemoth.

The Behemoth makes the first move by leaping towards the heroes in an aggressive charge. The heroes leap out of the way of the large Heartless, splitting off in two directions to avoid being crushed. Draxon and Mew jumps over to the left while Ember, Flame, and Hunter jumps over to the right. The Heartless turns to face the two dragons and cheetah and sweeps it's tusks at them. Ember and Flame managed to duck down to avoid being hit, but Hunter was knocked aside and was sent flying over to the side of the cavern. He slams against the rock wall on his back and fell to the ground. The attack had taken him completely by surprise and he was left dazed from the strong force of the blow. Ember and Flame glanced back at the fallen cheetah and they gasped in shock. Draxon and Mew saw this too and were also shocked.

"Hunter!" Ember cries out

The two dragons turn back towards the Behemoth to see that it was standing on it's hind legs, preparing to stomp them with it's large feet. Reacting quickly, they both jump back to avoid the crushing weight of the Behemoth's feet.

Draxon rushes forward at the Behemoth, leaps up and strikes it's head with a downward slash. He follows up with an upward slash, another downward slash, a left and right slash, a backflip slash, and a somersault slash. Then, he strikes the Behemoth with a flurry of slashes, swinging his Keyblade left and right followed by a powerful overhead spinning slash. The Heartless turns toward Draxon and sweeps it's tusks at him in retaliation, but he drops back down to the ground and leaps away with a backflip, landing right next to Mew.

The Behemoth began conjuring up a dark orb in it's mouth, charging up for it's next attack. Draxon and Mew both braced themselves for whatever the Heartless was gonna send at them. As soon as it was fully charged, the Behemoth fires a powerful black and blue beam of dark energy at the two. Reacting quickly, Draxon grabs hold of Mew and leaps over to the right. The dark beam strikes the ground where they once stood, leaving behind a large crater. Draxon, Mew, Ember, Flame, and Sparx stared at the crater with widened eyes, having witnessed the powerful attack. If Draxon and Mew had stood there any longer, they would've been blasted into oblivion.

Draxon sets Mew down, turns back towards the Behemoth, summons his Keyblade into his hand, and flies forward at the Heartless. He strikes the Behemoth's head with a downward slash, an upward slash, and a somersault slash. Then, he follows up with six spinning slashes, whirling forward and backwards three times with his Keyblade enveloped in light. The Behemoth tries to stomp down on Draxon with it's right-foot, but he jumps back several feet away, dodging the attack.

Ember and Flame rush over to Draxon's aid and begin their attack on the Behemoth. Ember leaps up at the Heartless, performing a corkscrew dive on it's head, drilling into it with her horns. Flame backs her up with his own attack. He curls up in a ball and somersaults down onto the Behemoth's head with his body enveloped in flames. Ember strikes the Heartless with her claws, swinging left and right, and performs a somersault, slamming her tail down on the Behemoth's head while Flame swings his claws up and down before spinning around with his tail. Then, working together, the two dragons unleash streams of fire from their mouths down upon the Behemoth.

Mew watched as the young teen and two dragons fought valiantly against the Behemoth and it felt that it was time to step in. Seeing that it's size would be no match for this Heartless, Mew decided to change it's form. Glowing with a bright light, the small Pokémon transformed into a Gyarados. Now, it was more than a match for the Behemoth. With a mighty roar, Gyarados charges forward and strikes the Heartless with a strong Headbutt, ramming into the dark creature head on. Then, the dragon-like Pokémon uses Dragon Tail, turning around and slamming it's green, scale, aura-coated tail into the Behemoth's face. The attack made the Heartless stagger a bit, causing it to take a few steps backwards.

The Behemoth recovers from the blow and lowers it's head. It's black and red horn began to spark with dark blue electricity and a black aura of darkness enveloped it's body as it charged up for it's next attack. Once it was fully charged, the large Heartless thrusts it's body upwards, unleashing a widespread hail of lightning bolts and a shockwave of darkness throughout the entire cavern. Draxon shields himself from the lightning bolts using his right-arm. A few came close to striking him. Gyarados saw that it's friend was in danger and it rushed over to him. Using it's large body, the Pokémon curled around the young teen, protecting him from the electric storm. Ember and Flame both shielded themselves from the attack using their wings.

Draxon flies forward at the Behemoth while shrouded in a corona of blue light and drills into it's head, spinning his Keyblade infront of him. He then warps around the Behemoth in multiple directions, striking it with quick slashes from his Keyblade, leaving behind afterimages with each teleportation. Each blow delivered generates intersecting columns of crystallized light on the Behemoth's body, trapping it in place. Finally, Draxon flies forward and slices through the Behemoth, delivering a fast, devastating blow. The light crystals compress into a single sphere of light and explodes, inflicting tremendous damage to the Heartless. Spike crystals pierce outwards from the Behemoth's body, crystallizing it. The Behemoth stumbles around, roaring in pain. Eventually, the Heartless falls to the ground defeated and fades away back into the darkness. It's large captive heart was released, floating a few feet into the air before it faded away, returning to Kingdom Hearts.

With the fight now over, Draxon de-summoned his Keyblade. Gyarados transformed back into Mew and it flew over to Draxon, joining his side. Ember and Flame soon joined their side. Draxon shared glances with each of his friends and they all nodded their heads.

"Aw yeah! We bad! That Heartless is toast!" Sparx cheers

And just then, they remembered Hunter. They looked over to where Hunter was and saw that he was still down on the ground. Worried for their friend, the heroes rush over to him.

"Hunter! Are you alright?" Flame asks worried

The cheetah warrior rose up and stood on one knee. He nods his head, assuring his friends that he is alright.

"Yes. I'm fine." Hunter says

Hunter rose up and was back on his feet.

"Man, you missed out on all the action. Draxon, Mew, Ember, and Flame here totally kicked some Heartless butt!" Sparx says

"So I see. Well done. Now that our task is finished, let's head back to Warfang." Hunter says

"Right. We need to let Terrador and the other know that the Heartless has been dealt with." Draxon says

With that said, the group left the cavern and commenced their journey back to the Dragon City.

( _Moments later_ )

The heroes returned to the Dragon Temple and reported to the Dragon Guardians on their successful mission.

"I had no doubt that you would return safely. The Heartless spreading throughout the Valley of Avalar would've been a terrible disaster, but you've all put a stop to that." Terrador says

"Yes, yes, congratulations, young heroes." Cyril says

"All in a day's work." Sparx says crossing his arms with pride

"Still, it's always so stressful when the Heartless always have dark places to lurk about." Volteer says

"I can't help but agree with Volteer. Those infernal creatures always seem to dwell wherever there's darkness." Cyril says

"Yes, but hopefully now their attacks have ceased for the time being. We'd best prepare for when they surface again." Terrador says

"Well, now that my mission here is done, I think it's time for me to hit the road." Draxon says

"You're leaving?" Ember asks

"Yeah. I've got friends who needs me. I don't want to keep them waiting." Draxon says

"You must have some really nice friends if you care about them so much. I would sure like to meet them someday." Ember says

"Don't worry. You just might." Draxon says

"Okay. Well, we'll be waiting the next time you drop by." Flame says

"Right. Take it easy!" Draxon says waving his right-hand

With that said, Draxon left the Dragon Temple with Mew right behind him.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Roxas was sitting by himself up on the clock tower, eating his Sea-Salt Ice Cream. He was feeling quite lonely. But then that quickly changed when Draxon and Mew came around the corner, both with their own ice cream.

"Hey, Roxas." Draxon says

"Mew, Mew!" Mew says happily

"Oh, hey Draxon." Roxas says

Draxon walked over and sat down next to Roxas while Mew floated alongside them.

"Where'd you get sent today?" Draxon asks

"The Olympus Coliseum." Roxas says

"What was your mission?" Draxon asks

"Heart Collection." Roxas says

"As per usual." Draxon says

"And you?" Roxas asks

"I was sent to the Dragon Realms to eliminate a Behemoth. It was a real big one." Draxon says

Roxas stares down at his ice cream, then looks over to his left where Xion would sit.

"I wish Xion was here with us. It's getting to be quite lonely now." Roxas says

"Yeah... But hey, at least we have each other, right?" Draxon says

"Yeah... I guess..." Roxas says

Draxon saw the depressed look on Roxas' face and he felt concerned. Though he could only guess as to why. Ever since Xion awkwardly departed the other day, Roxas had been feeling worried for her. And he couldn't blame him. Xion was his friend too and he was just as concerned for her as Roxas.

 _"We'll find a way to patch things up. Just like Axel said."_ Draxon thought to himself

Mew looked at Draxon, also feeling concerned. The small Pokemon didn't like seeing it's friends feeling down. Draxon noticed that Mew was staring at him. He changed his face to a slight smile and he gently rubbed his left-hand on Mew's head. Mew let out a coo of content. The three friends continued eating their ice cream and they gazed out at the sunset, watching the vivid colors of the sun.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Draxon and Mew travel to the Dragon Realms and they reunite with Ember, Flame, and Sparx. Hunter also tags along for their next mission. They travel into the Valley of Avalar, searching for their Heartless target. And sure enough, they find it in the form of a massive Behemoth. Together, they engage in an epic fight against the Heartless and they prevail victorious. Xion is still gone and now Draxon and Roxas are by themselves. What else lies ahead? Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


	20. Love

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 _ **~ Day 171 ~**_

 _ **Love**_

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Draxon, Roxas, and Mew entered the Grey Area and looked around. They saw Axel, Luxord, Xigbar, and Demyx in the room, but they did not see Xion.

"Xion's not here." Draxon says

"Guess we missed her." Roxas sighs

"Mew..." Mew says in a slightly sad tone

"Maybe we'll run into her later. C'mon. Let's get on with our missions." Draxon says

The two boys and Pokémon approached Saïx for their missions.

"Roxas, you are to leave for the Beast's Castle and vanquish the Heartless that has surfaced there. Draxon, you will be heading for Berk. Both of you will have targets to eliminate. Get it done." Saïx says

Draxon and Roxas both nodded their heads in acknowledgement and they set off to carry out their missions of the day.

( _Beast's Castle_ )

Roxas steps out of a dark corridor, arriving at the Beast's Castle, inside the ballroom. At the moment of his arrival, he hears a loud roar throughout the castle.

"Graaaaaaaaaugh!" A voice roars

The roar gave Roxas a good startle.

"Whoa! That's the Beast. Did something happen?" Roxas says

Roxas looks ahead at the ballroom doors across from him.

"Sounded like it came from outside." Roxas says

Wanting to investigate, Roxas heads out of the ballroom and into the entrance hall. He then proceeds outside to the courtyard where he heard the Beast roar again. This time it was much louder.

"Graaaaaaaaaugh!" The Beast roars

"That sounded close." Roxas says

The young teen looks ahead at the gates to the bridge and began walking across the courtyard. But before he could proceed any further, something came flying over the gate, causing Roxas to look up.

"Huh?" Roxas says

The Beast comes falling over the gate and crashes into the courtyard. Apparently, he was fighting some Heartless on the bridge. But Roxas was shocked to see that the Beast was knocked unconscious.

"What did this to him?" Roxas asks shocked

Roxas turns his attention toward the bridge and decides to step in and confront whatever was out there. When he comes out onto the bridge, he was met with a large mechanical Heartless. This was the Infernal Engine. Riding ontop of the Heartless were three smaller Heartless known simply as Archers. Roxas took a couple steps back as the Infernal Engine slowly rolled towards him. Eventually, it stopped mid-way on the bridge. Roxas summoned his Keyblade into his hand and he got into battle stance as he prepared to face the Infernal Engine and it's Archers.

The Infernal Engine opens it's jagged mouth and a large hammer comes out right over Roxas. Reacting quickly, he young teen leaps over to the right, dodging the hammer. The hammer rises up and smashes down on Roxas' position. Again, he dodges the hammer, rolling over to the left. The hammer continues smashing the ground, aiming for Roxas wherever he stood while he continued to dodge it. Eventually, the hammer retracts back into the Heartless.

Roxas charges at the Infernal Engine and goes on the offensive. First, he attacks the Heartless with a thrusting strike, an upward and downward slash, a left and right slash, and a spinning slash. Next, he follows up with a magic attack, launching three fireballs at the Heartless with a swing of his Keyblade. Then, he strikes the Infernal Engine with a somersault slash and an overhead strike.

The three Archers shoot their arrows at Roxas, but he manages to deflect them with his Keyblade. The Infernal Engine opens it's maw again and a cannon emerges, taking aim at Roxas. The young teen braced himself as the cannon pointed itself at him. Within moments, the cannon shoots a fireball, sending it flying towards Roxas. Roxas quicky jumps and rolls over to the left, making the fireball miss. Three more fireballs were shot forth, but Roxas knocks each of them away with a swing of his Keyblade. A fifth and final fireball was launched and Roxas braced himself. As he watched the fiery projectile close in on him, he came up with an idea. Roxas brought his Keyblade up and over his right-shoulder, holding it like a bat. As soon as the fireball came into reach, Roxas swings his Keyblade, sending the fireball back at the Heartless. The fireball hits the three Archers that were ontop of the Infernal Engine, blasting them into oblivion. With the three lesser Heartless taken care of, Roxas focuses his attention on the large Heartless infront of him.

The Infernal Engine opens it's mouth and spews out large bombs onto the bridge, sending them rolling towards Roxas. The young teen dodges the bombs, leaping left and right. Roxas soon came up with another idea. He stood where he was and braced himself as the Infernal Engine sent one final bomb rolling toward him. Gripping his Keyblade, he waited for the opportune moment. The bomb came closer and closer as it rolled across the bridge. As soon as the bomb came into reach, Roxas swings his Keyblade, sending the bomb flying back at the Infernal Engine. The bomb flies into the mouth of the mechanical Heartless and explodes, damaging it from the inside.

With the Heartless left stunned from it's own attack, Roxas held his Keyblade out infront of him, preparing to finish off the Heartless once and for all. An orb of light appeared on the tip of his Keyblade and began charging with energy, growing in size and power. Soon, the orb was fully charged and Roxas hurls it at the Heartless. The orb flies into the Infernal Engine's mouth and explodes, dishing out tremendous damage. The Heartless collapses and falls apart before it explodes in a flash of light.

With the fight now over, Roxas heads back into the courtyard. Before he could take his leave, he saw the doors to the castle start to open. He went over to the right side of the gate and pressed against the stone wall, keeping out of sight. He peeked around the corner and saw a woman come out. It was Belle.

"No!" A female voice cries out

Belle comes out of the castle and kneels down to the Beast.

"Beast! What happened? Are you alright?" Belle asks worried

"Belle... You should be inside... It's too dangerous..." Beast says weakly

"I'm bringing you inside with me." Belle says

"No... I have to stop... the Heartless..." Beast says weakly

"But they're gone. You don't have to fight anymore." Belle says

"Good... That's good... I managed to keep them from... getting in..." Beast says weakly

"Please. You must stop doing this. It's too much. If something were to happen to you... I don't know what I'd..." Belle says

"Belle... I couldn't bear to see you... or the others hurt. A master protects his castle... I don't want to lose you." Beast says weakly

"I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere." Belle says

Roxas turns away from the scene and thought to himself.

 _"So, he wasn't fighting to protect the rose. He was protecting the people in the castle. Protecting her. She's what matters most to him. But... Xaldin said it was the rose."_ Roxas thought to himself

"Feh. Cloying nonsense." A male voice says

Roxas looks over to his right and he saw Xaldin standing next to him.

"Xaldin? When did you get here?" Roxas asks

"That's none of your concern." Xaldin says

Xaldin glances out to the scene unfolding before him.

"Hmph. Love from a beast? How utterly ridiculous." Xaldin says

"Love? What's that?" Roxas asks

"It's an emotion. The one deluding those two as we speak." Xaldin says

"Oh..." Roxas says

"They think the power of love will save them? That's the stuff of poetry, not practicality." Xaldin says

"Love is a power?" Roxas asks

"None that you or I will ever grasp. Nor will they, for long. The love between them will wither and die. Love never lasts." Xaldin says

"But you don't have a heart. How would you know?" Roxas asks

"I have eyes, and a brain. We have no further business here. Try not to dawdle." Xaldin says

Having said that, Xaldin took his leave. Left alone, Roxas contemplated on what love might be.

"That still doesn't explain what love is... Is love fighting to protect what's important to you? Where does it come from?" Roxas asks

Roxas looked over at Belle and the Beast one last time before he left as well.

( _Berk_ )

Draxon and Mew exit out of a dark corridor and they arrive in Berk just outside the Great Hall.

"Back in Berk." Draxon says

The two look around their surroundings and notice that the village was on heightened alert. Three vikings ran by Draxon and Mew with spears in hand and with their dragons: a blue Deadly Nadder, a yellow-orange Monstrous Nightmare, and a purple Gronckle.

"C'mon, let's go!" One viking says

"Right!" Another viking says

Two more vikings ran by with their dragons: a light blue Hideous Zippleback and a dark green Gronckle.

"What's going on?" Draxon says

Draxon looks back over at the Great Hall. The Keyblade Wielder began climbing up the stone staircase with Mew following close behind.

"Only one way to find out." Draxon says

Once he reaches the top of the stairs, Draxon pushes the doors open and enters the Great Hall. Several vikings and dragons were at the far end of the hall with Stoick and Gobber, standing around near the fire pit with a map of Berk laid out on the huge, circular table. They all turned and looked towards the entrance as they saw Draxon enter.

"Draxon!" A male viking says

"It's him!" A female viking says

"He's here!" Another male viking says

Draxon walks through the hall with Mew, passing the nearby vikings and dragons.

"Draxon! Talk about timing!" Gobber says

As Gobber stared at Draxon, he noticed that Roxas and Xion weren't with him. He remembered the last time they were here, they were on vacation.

"Roxas and Xion aren't with ya?" Gobber asks

"No. They had other places to be." Draxon says

"Oh, right." Gobber says

"So, what's up?" Draxon asks

"Ah, take a guess." Gobber says

Draxon crosses his arms, already knowing the answer.

"Heartless?" Draxon asks

"Yes. And there's a whole group of them." Stoick says

"Where can I find them?" Draxon asks

"Here. I'll show you on the map." Stoick says

Draxon and Mew approach the the huge table and look down at the map.

"Our scouts report that the Heartless are lurking about in the forest near Berk here. I've got men fortifying the village should they attack." Stoick says pointing to the cove on the map with his right-hand

Stoick turns and looks at Draxon.

"It's a shame your friends couldn't be here with you to help. But I guess they have their own share of troubles dealing with the Heartless." Stoick says

"Yeah. But at least I'm here. You can leave those Heartless to me." Draxon says

"That's just what we like to hear, lad. We'll let you deal with them dark creatures while we hold down the fort." Gobber says

"We'll be on the lookout for any stragglers that might try to sneak their way into Berk. We've got every viking on Berk on patrol. They won't be pulling off the same trick they did last time. Good luck, Draxon." Stoick says

"Right. I'll go get Kindle and we'll put the Heartless down in the ground." Draxon says

With that said, Draxon and Mew leave the Great Hall and make their way through the village.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon ran through the village with Mew, passing vikings and dragons as they prepared themselves. He made it to the plaza and went over to the Dragon Houses where Kindle and the other dragons were kept. Kindle, Lapis, and Bristle saw the young teen approaching them and they were all happy to see them. Kindle was the most happy as her tail was wagging so much that she could barely contain herself.

"Kindle!" Draxon exclaims happily

The Monstrous Nightmare rushed over to her rider and she nuzzled herself against Draxon's body with such affection while he hugged the dragon's head.

"Hey, girl! It's been a while." Draxon says

Kindle gave Draxon a few licks with her tongue, making him laugh a bit. The young teen looks over at Lapis and Bristle, knowing that they belonged to Roxas and Xion. He wished that both of his friends were here to help on his mission, but he knew that Saïx probably wouldn't allow it. The two dragons approached and greeted him with some nuzzles. Draxon took turns petting both dragons, starting with Lapis first, then Bristle.

"Hey, Lapis. Hey, Bristle. I know that you both wanted to see Roxas and Xion. I'm sorry. They couldn't join me today." Draxon greets

The two Deadly Nadders looked down, feeling depressed that their riders weren't here for them. But they quickly perked up since they were happy that Draxon was here for them. Draxon turns and looks at Kindle.

"Kindle. We've got a mission to do. You up for it?" Draxon says

The Monstrous Nightmare lets out a loud roar, letting her rider know that it was ready.

"Alright!" Draxon says

Draxon went and got Kindle's saddle from the house and strapped it onto her. With the saddle fastened, the young teen climbs up onto the dragon. Just before they head out, Draxon turns to the two Deadly Nadders.

"I'd like the two of you to stay here and help defend the village. Can you do it?" Draxon asks

Lapis and Bristle both nod their heads, acknowledging the young teen's request. Draxon nods his head, then looks down at Kindle. He rubs the side of her neck with his right-hand, making the dragon purr in content. Mew floats up next to Draxon and it nods to the Keyblade Wielder. Draxon nods to the small Pokémon, then grabs hold of Kindle's saddle.

"Let's go take down some Heartless!" Draxon says

Kindle flaps her wings and began to lift off from the ground, taking to the air. Once they were high above the village, the trio turn towards the forest lying on the outskirts of the island and set off with their mission. The vikings and dragons on the ground watch as they disappear into the forest, standing guard ready to defend Berk incase the Heartless manage to slip past them.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon, Kindle, and Mew were now flying above the trees of the forest, heading for the spot that Stoick pointed out on the map. After minutes of flying, they soon found the cove. They touch down and land at the edge of the lake. Draxon climbs down from Kindle's back and takes a few steps forward.

"Well, this is the spot." Draxon says

The Keyblade Wielder looks around the cove, taking in the incredible scenery. He stares up at the trees that stood on all sides on the edge of the rock faces. The sunlight beaming down on the cove. He then glances over at the lake, which was fed by a small waterall. Gazing into the water, he could see several fish swimming underneath the surface.

"Wow. This place is amazing." Draxon says

As he continued looking around the cove, Draxon felt some sort of familiarity with the location.

"It's strange. I feel like I've been here before. But how? " Draxon says

Before he could ponder it any further, a large group of Heartless appeared infront of him. These Heartless consisted of 20 Neoshadows, 8 Flutterings, and 4 Darkballs.

"Guess I'll have to wonder about it later." Draxon says

Draxon immediately summoned his Keyblade: Soul Calibur into his right-hand and got into battle stance with Kindle and Mew by his side.

Draxon rushes at the first Neoshadow in his view and cuts it down with a downward slash. He then slices through four more Neoshadows with a left and right slash. One Neoshadow leaps at the young teen with it's claws and takes a swipe at him. Draxon quickly leaps away from the attacking Heartless and counters with a crescent-shaped blade of blue light, launched from his Keyblade with a right swing. The crescent blade slices through the Neoshadow, disintegrating it. Three more Neoshadows leap toward Draxon with their claws, attacking together in unison. Again, Draxon jumps back into the air, dodging the Heartless. While in mid-air, he swings his Keyblade with a right slash, sending a wide-spread blue electric blast down at the Neoshadows. The magic attack vaporizes the three Heartless into oblivion. Draxon lands back on the ground and targets a Neoshadow infront of him. He dashes forward at the Heartless and knocks it up into the air with a sliding uppercut slash. From there, he leaps up and strikes it down with a somersault slash.

The young teen lands crouched down on the ground. He rose back up and saw the rest of the Heartless closing in on him. Two Neoshadows leap toward Draxon for an attack. But before they could reach him, Mew flies in with it's body encased inside it's pink barrier and slams against the Heartless, destroying them on impact. After dealing with the two Heartless, Mew focuses on the rest. The small Pokémon glows with light and transforms into Charizard, letting out a loud roar. Charizard charges up a fireball in it's mouth and launches it at three Neoshadows, blasting them into oblivion. Four Flutterings fly in and shoot dark fireballs at the fire-type Pokémon. Charizard saw the incoming attack and it quickly brought it's wings infront of it's body, shielding itself from the dark projectiles. Afterwards, Charizard spews a spiral of fire from it's mouth, trapping the Flutterings in a fierce, flaming vortex of fire. This move was Fire Spin. The Heartless burn up inside the fiery vortex and disintegrate.

A Darkball launches an orb of darkness from it's maw, catching Charizard's attention. The fire-type Pokémon quickly flaps it's wings and takes off into the air. With a mighty roar, Charizard uses Flame Charge, diving down at the Heartless with it's body cloaked in flames and smashes into it. The other Darkball charges at Charizard to take a bite at it, but the Flame Pokémon moves it's body back, dodging the attack. Then, Charizard uses Fire Fang, rearing it's head back and biting down on the Heartless with flame-coated fangs, causing it to disintegrate.

The rest of the Neoshadows, Flutterings, and Darkballs close in on the Keyblade Wielder and Pokémon until Kindle steps in and unleashes a stream of flames from her mouth. The Flutterings were caught in the blaze and were burned to ashes. A Neoshadow leaps forward at the Monstrous Nightmare and swipes it's claws at her. Kindle leans her body back, dodging it's claws, and slams her tail into the Heartless, knocking it aside. Another Neoshadow attacks with it's claws, but instead of dodging, Kindle shields herself from the attack using her large wings. Fortunately, thanks to her strong, durable skin, Kindle was hardly inflicted at all by the feeble attack. Unfolding her wings, the female dragon grabs the Heartless with her jaws, shakes it around violently, breaking it's body, then she tosses the Heartless aside, sending it flying into the rock face on her right. Two Neoshadows leap forward at Kindle in unison with their claws ready to strike while Kindle braces herself as the two Heartless fly toward her. When they closed distance, the large dragon flips them over using her head, sending the Heartless flying into the rock face behind her. Turning to the final Neoshadow in her view, Kindle spews a small stream of fire from her mouth, sending the Heartless ablaze. Then, she stomps on the dark creatures repeatingly with her feet until it disintegrates in a puff of darkness.

Kindle shifts her gaze to the two remaining Heartless and shoots a fire blast at one of them, blasting it into oblivion. The other Darkball charges at the Monstrous Nightmare and takes a bite at her, aiming for her neck. Kindle leans her body away from the Heartless and she catches it in her jaws. Using her strong jaw muscles, the female dragon clamps down on the Darkball, crushing it into black dust.

Suddenly, only moments after the group defeat the Heartless, a massive Heartless drops down infront of them, kicking up a cloud of dust. Draxon, Charizard, and Kindle shield themselves from the dust cloud as it burst forward. When the dust settles, the Heartless was revealed. It was their target: a Rock Troll. The Heartless held a large stone axe in it's right-hand and it smashed it down on the ground alongside it, ready for a fight. With their target in sight, Draxon tightened his grip on his crystal Keyblade in his right-hand and got into battle stance. Charizard and Kindle both stood alongside the young teen and they growled at the Heartless in a threatening tone.

The Rock Troll raised it's axe high over it's head and swung it down toward the heroes, who instinctively leap away a couple feet, dodging the attack. Draxon dashes toward the Heartless, pushing on the attack. The Rock Troll swings it's axe at the young teen with a horizontal slash, but Draxon leaps up into the air, evading the axe. Taking hold of his Keyblade with both hands, Draxon raises his Keyblade over his right-shoulder and delivers a fierce blow to the Rock Troll's face. He follows up with some quick slashes, swinging his Keyblade left and right. Then, Draxon whirls forward and backwards, striking the Rock Troll with three spinning slashes each. He then swings his Keyblade with a right slash, launching six blue fiery fireballs. Each fireball hits the Rock Troll in the head, creating several explosions which sent the Heartless staggering backwards.

Charizard and Kindle both launch a fire blast at the Heartless, landing direct hits to it's head. The Rock Troll staggers backwards after recieving the attacks, but it soon recovers. The Heartless picks up a large boulder with it's free hand and hurls it at the trio. Charizard quickly uses Fire Blast and launches a powerful fireball at the incoming boulder, blasting it to pieces. The Flame Pokémon flies toward the Rock Troll and uses Flare Blitz, cloaking itself in fire. Within moments, Charizard smashes into the Heartless with a head on collision, dishing out a ton of damage. Continuing it's assault, Charizard uses Dragon Claws, swiping both it's sharp claws at the Rock Troll's face, and then it uses Dragon Tail, slamming it's scale-aura coated tail into it's head, damaging the Heartless even further.

Draxon lands crouched down on the ground, using his left-hand to catch himself. He rises up to his feet and takes hold of his crystal Keyblade. Charizard and Kindle both walk up to the young teen, standing alongside him as they prepared to finish off the Rock Troll. Just when they thought they had the Heartless done in, the Rock Troll brought it's axe up to it's face, using it as a mask. The Heartless let out a enraged roar and came charging at the trio full bore. Draxon, Charizard, and Kindle leap away from the oncoming Heartless, barely dodging it as it stomped past them. The Rock Troll smashes into the rock wall of the cove having missed the heroes. It turns back around and charges at them again. Draxon decides to meet the Rock Troll head on and rushes toward it. As he closed in on his target, Draxon leaps up into the air and forward at the Heartless with his body cloaked in a corona of blue light. Within moments, the two sides clash with both the Rock Troll and Draxon caught in a power struggle. Draxon drills into the Heartless, spinning his Keyblade infront of him while it pushed against his attack. Eventually, the young teen managed to gain the upperhand and he drilled further into the Rock Troll, breaking through it's mask, causing it to stagger and fall backwards.

Now, it was time to finish the Heartless off. Draxon rushes at the Rock Troll, jumps up to it's level, and strikes it numerous times in multiple directions, teleporting in and out in flashes of light. He then reappears in the air, hovering high above the Rock Troll. As he hovers in the air, his body began to glow with a pure blue light. Taking hold of his Keyblade, he raises it up to the sky above his head, causing it to shine with it's benevolent light, illuminating the entire cove. In that moment, Draxon dives straight down at the Rock Troll and brings his glowing Keyblade down on it. He slices through the Rock Troll splitting it vertically in half, delivering the finishing blow. The Heartless falls apart and disintegrates in a flash of light, releasing it's captive heart into the sky.

With the defeat of the Heartless, the cove was now peaceful again with only the sounds of the water and the birds chirping being heard in the air. Draxon, who was crouched down after striking down the Rock Troll, rose up onto his feet and de-summoned his Keyblade while Charizard transformed back into Mew. Draxon let out a sigh of relief.

"Whew. That sure was rough. Time to head back." Draxon says

Draxon walks over to Kindle and climbs onto her back. The Monstrous Nightmare turns around and prepares to takeoff. But before they leave, the young teen glances back at the cove. Ever since he stepped foot into the area, he couldn't shake off the feeling that he had been here before. He just couldn't understand how and why. Mew and Kindle look back at Draxon, noticing the concerned expression on his face. The small Pokémon flew up to Draxon and called to him with it's voice.

"Mew?" Mew says

"Huh?" Draxon says

Draxon was snapped out of his thoughts by Mew's voice. He looked back and saw that Mew and Kindle were staring at him.

"Mew Mew?" Mew says concerned if Draxon was alright

The Keyblade Wielder simply shakes his head, assuring that he was fine.

"It's nothing." Draxon says

Draxon looks down at Kindle and pats her back with his right-hand.

"C'mon. Let's get back to Berk." Draxon says

Kindle grunts and nods her head in agreement. The dragon flapped it's wings, lifting up into the air. Once they were high enough, the trio flew out of the cove, heading back towards Berk.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon, Mew, and Kindle arrived back at Berk, flying over the village. Many vikings and dragons saw them soaring above them, including Stoick and Gobber. Kindle touches down in the plaza while Stoick, Gobber, and a few vikings and dragons came to greet them. Draxon climbs down from his dragon's back and walks over to the two vikings.

"Draxon! Glad to see you made it back in one piece!" Gobber says

"Does this mean the Heartless are gone?" Stoick asks

"Yep. There was a whole group of Heartless in the forest, but we took care of 'em. Nothing we couldn't handle." Draxon says

Stoick was very happy to hear this. Even the vikings and dragons cheered for Draxon.

"Ha ha! Well done, Draxon! I knew we could count on you." Stoick says

"Thanks, chief. But now that my mission here is done, I gotta take off. My friends are waiting and... you know." Draxon says

"Oh, of course. We'll keep an eye out for any more Heartless that show up." Stoick says

Draxon unstraps Kindle's saddle and gives it to Gobber.

"Right. And I'll be here when they do." Draxon says

"Take care of yourself, Kindle." Draxon says

Kindle felt a bit sad that Draxon had to leave again and she let out a sad croon. The young teen saw this and he gently rubbed the dragon's head, offering her comfort.

"Don't worry. I'll be back to see you again. You can count on it." Draxon says

This seemed to help lift Kindle's spirit and she smiled slightly. The Monstrous Nightmare nuzzled her head against Draxon, purring with content. Having said farewell to the vikings and dragons, Draxon and Mew left the village of Berk and went to go meet up with their friends in Twilight Town.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Axel was sitting at the ledge, taking a few bites out of his Sea-salt Ice Cream when Draxon, Roxas, and Mew came around the corner with their own ice cream in their hands (Or paws in Mew's case).

"Hey, here come the hard workers." Axel says

"Hey, Axel." Draxon greets

Draxon and Roxas both sat down along the ledge while Mew floated alongside them. Roxas sat next to Axel's left while Draxon sat alongside Roxas on his left.

"Did Xion drop by at all?" Draxon asks

"Nope. Haven't seen her." Axel says

"Somebody's gotta talk to that girl." Axel says

"It's her choice if she wants to come join us or not." Roxas says

"Yeah. It's not like you can force her." Draxon says

"I guess that's fair." Axel says

"Axel, I need to ask you something." Roxas says

"What's up? Did something happen?" Axel asks

"Nah, it's just... This is gonna sound stupid. Do you know what love is?" Roxas says

Axel looks at Roxas, surprised by his question. Even Draxon was surprised by what he heard.

"'Scuse me?" Axel asks slightly surprised

"I found out about love during today's mission. That it's something powerful." Roxas says

"That's true. It is. But I'll never get to experience it." Axel says

"Nobodies can't love?" Roxas asks

"Exactly. You need a heart." Axel says

"Right..." Roxas says

"Sounds like love is a really special kind of emotion." Draxon says

"Love is what happens if there's something really special between two people." Axel says

"You mean, like, if they're best friends?" Roxas asks

"Well, you care about your friends, I guess, but that's not what I'm talking about." Axel says

"So, then... love is like a step above friends?" Draxon asks

"Yes... Well, no. There aren't steps." Axel says

"I don't get it." Roxas says

"Me neither." Draxon says

"What does it matter? We'll never know the difference." Axel says

"If I had a heart, you think I could love somebody?" Roxas asks

"Once Kingdom Hearts is complete, you'll be able to do all kinds of things." Axel says

The four friends gazed out at the setting sun and continued eating their ice cream. Draxon stared down at his ice cream, clearly confused as to what love was. Was it some special feeling? A source of power? All these thoughts wandered through his mind. Perhaps once Kingdom Hearts was complete, he may find the answer. Only time will tell.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Just another day in the Organization. Roxas is sent to the Beast's Castle while Draxon is sent to Berk. Roxas learns about love from Belle and the Beast, yet it just leaves him to wonder what it is. Draxon travels to Berk with his own mission: hunting a Rock Troll. But there is one thing they're missing: Xion. Where is she? And will Draxon and Roxas patch up their friendship? Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


	21. Sound of the Surf

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 _ **~ Day 172 ~**_

 _ **Sound of the Surf**_

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Draxon, Roxas, and Mew entered the Grey Area, ready for their missions of the day. Inside the room was Axel, Xigbar, Luxord, and Demyx. As they came in, they were greeted by Luxord.

"Roxas, Draxon, how has the game been treating you?" Luxord asks

"Uhh... Fine, I guess." Draxon says shrugging his shoulders

"Saïx shuffled us together for today's mission. I wager we'll make a good enough team." Luxord says

"I don't see why not." Roxas says

"Oh, by the way, did you both hear what happened to Xion?" Luxord asks

The two boys and Pokémon shared confused and suspicious glances with each other upon hearing Xion. Then, they look back at Luxord, anxious as to what he was about to say.

"What about her?" Draxon asks turning his head slightly to the left

"She bungled her last mission and fell into a deep slumber. Can't win them all, I suppose." Luxord says

"What?!" Roxas and Draxon exclaim in unison

"Mew?!" Mew exclaims in shock

Draxon, Roxas, and Mew's shocked voices caught the attention of Axel, Xigbar, and Demyx, causing them to look in their direction. Axel and Demyx had concerned expressions on their faces while Xigbar just chuckled a bit with a smile on his face.

"We gotta go see her!" Roxas says

"C'mon!" Draxon says

The two boys turn to run out of the Grey Area when Saïx stood infront of them, blocking their path.

"And where do you two think you're going?" Saïx asks

"To see Xion! What else?" Draxon says

"Don't waste your time. You both have a mission to take care of." Saïx says

"Which we'll do." Roxas says

"The mission can wait. We want to see Xion." Draxon says

The trio rush past Saïx and head for the doorway until the Luna Diviner spoke, causing them to stop mid-way.

"You cannot help her. Xion will not wake from her slumber." Saïx says

"That's not the point! We need to be with Xion!" Roxas says

"She needs us!" Draxon says

"What do you care? That creature is broken. Defective. She is nothing but a failure. A mistake." Saïx says

"Don't call her that!" Roxas snaps

"Xion is not a failure and she's not a mistake! She's our friend!" Draxon snaps

"I'll call that thing whatever I want. How we deal with Xion is no concern of yours." Saïx says

"We didn't ask if it was!" Roxas says

"Like we asked for your opinion!" Draxon says

"Look at you two. Up in arms over a Nobody." Saïx says

"Last I checked, we're all Nobodies!" Draxon says

"Settle down. Xion's failure will not affect your standings with us. You both have nothing to worry about." Saïx says

"What is wrong with you?! Look, we'll do our missions later, okay?" Roxas says

"Right now, we're going to see Xion." Draxon says

Wanting no further delays, Draxon and Roxas rush out of the Grey Area with Mew close behind. Axel watched as the trio vanished into the hallway. He then looks toward Saix as he walks past him, who didn't even bother to look back. Axel stared at Saix with a hint of anger in his eyes. He overheard the entire conversation and he didn't like what he said about Xion. She was his friend afterall and Axel wanted answers. Why was Saix being so harsh on Xion? Just what was his deal with her? He had to know. Axel turns back and looks off into the hallway, hoping that his friends were alright.

Draxon, Roxas, and Mew hastily move through the halls of the castle for several minutes. Eventually, the trio find Xion laying on the bed in her room. She was in a comatose state, but the reasons as to how and why were unclear. Draxon, Roxas, and Mew approach their sleeping friend and stared down at her with saddened expressions.

"Xion..." Roxas says

"Mew..." Mew says in a sad voice

Draxon and Roxas both take out a seashell from their pockets and place them on the bed next to the pillow. One of them was a white, brown-spotted Junonia shell. The other was a blue and yellow seashell. Unable to do anything for Xion, Draxon, Roxas, and Mew set off to their missions, leaving their friend to sleep in peace.

( _Moments later_ )

After Draxon, Roxas, Mew, and Luxord had left for their mission, Axel met up with Saix in the castle and he spoke to him about Xion.

"Hey, that was uncalled for!" Axel says

"I told you. Keep out of this." Saïx says

"And I'm telling you that I have to know what the deal is with Xion. If there's something going on, just be straight with me for once, will ya?" Axel says

"Do you mean like how you're always straight with me?" Saïx retorts

Axel scratches the back of his head.

"Well, you got me there, I guess." Axel says

"Xion has no right to be among our number." Saïx says

"What do you mean? Why not?" Axel asks

"It's plain to see. I've nothing more to say." Saïx says

With that said, Saix walks off into the castle halls, leaving Axel alone to ponder over what he had heard.

( _Wonderland_ )

Draxon, Roxas, Mew, and Luxord step out of the dark corridor and arrive in Wonderland, coming into the rabbit hole. Their mission was to hunt down five Pink Concertos.

"So, we're here hunting specific game today, hmm?" Luxord says

Draxon and Roxas were both elsewhere in their minds to hear Luxord words. The two boys were worried about Xion that they almost lost focus on their mission.

"What? Oh, right." Roxas says

"Uh... Yeah. Yeah..." Draxon says with his voice slightly trailing off

"What's wrong? First time here?" Luxord asks

"No, I was here on a mission a little while ago. And I ran into this white rabbit, who was in a huge hurry to get somewhere." Roxas says

"A rabbit? Really?" Luxord says intrigued

"I lost sight of him before I had a chance to see what the deal was, though." Roxas says

"Luck's like that. A window of opportunity can open and close in the blink of an eye. It's whether or not you can jump on the chance when it arises that determines one's fate. Let's hope we stand up to the odds this time around." Luxord says

"Er, right." Roxas says

"Let's get started." Luxord says

"Well, this is interesting." Luxord says

"All we need to do is drink the blue bottle on the table and we'll be able to move on." Roxas says

The three Nobodies and Mew each drink from the bottle and they shrink to the size of the room.

"Whoa. That felt weird." Draxon says feeling himself

"Mew." Mew says nodding in agreement

"So, where do we go from here?" Draxon says looking around

"Looks like we can head through that doorway over there." Roxas says

Draxon follows Roxas' gaze and his eyes laid upon a purple doorway that led into another area.

"Alright. Let's go." Draxon says

The three Nobodies and small Pokémon proceed through the doorway in the northwest corner and come into the Hedge Maze Entrance. They continue straight ahead and they arrive at the Queen's Court. Another path on the left led out to another area. The four follow the path and they soon enter the Lotus Forest. As they walk into the area, a voice speaks out to them.

"Lost something?" A voice asks

"Huh?! Who's there?" Roxas asks

In that moment, the Cheshire Cat appears standing on a mushroom above the four.

"Who, indeed?" The Cheshire Cat says

"Uh... a cat?" Roxas says baffled

"A cheshire cat, if you please. Or if you don't." The Cheshire Cat says

"Okay?" Draxon says

"Did you have a point?" Roxas asks

"Yes, of course. But then, I also had none at all. Which would you prefer?" The Cheshire Cat says

"We... We'll be asking the questions here!" Roxas says

"Well then, ask away... Of course, the answers may be a bit hard to find..." The Cheshire Cat says

Having said that, the Cheshire Cat fades away, disappearing out of sight. Draxon and Roxas glance toward each in confusion.

"What was that all about?" Roxas asks feeling confused

"No idea." Draxon says

Suddenly, four Heartless appear infront of the four members. It was their targets: four Pink Concertos.

"Guess we found our targets." Draxon says

"And now we come to the interesting part of the game." Luxord says pulling out his cards

The young teens both summon their Keyblades into their hands and they got into battle stance alongside Mew and Luxord.

Draxon rushes toward the first Heartless in his view and goes on the offensive. He strikes the Pink Concerto with a right slash, an upward and downward slash, and four left and right slashes. Next, he follows up with two spinning slashes. Then, he finishes off with an overhead strike, which slices the Pink Concerto in half vertically down the center. The Heartless splits apart and falls to the ground.

Roxas leaps at the second Pink Concerto and strikes it with an uppercut slash followed by a downward slash and a reverse roundhouse slash. He continues his assault with a left and right slash, an upward slash, and a somersault slash. The Heartless tries to headbutt him, but he jumps a good feet away, dodging the attack. Roxas aims his Keyblade at the Pink Concerto and launches a strong fireball at it. The fiery projectile lands a direct hit to the Heartless and explodes on impact, blasting it into oblivion.

Mew encases itself inside it's pink barrier and it rams into the third Pink Concerto, knocking it back. The Heartless spews a purple cloud of toxic smoke at the small Pokémon, but it's barrier shields it from the attack. The smoke dissipates upon hitting the barrier, leaving Mew unharmed. Mew uses Ancient Power, conjuring up a silver ball of energy made from it's afterimage and hurls it at the Heartless. The attack hits the Pink Concerto with direct impact and explode in a flash of light, obliterating the Heartless.

Luxord throws a flurry of razor-sharp cards at the fourth Pink Concerto, cutting it in multiple places. He sends forth more cards with a thrust of his right-hand. The cards spiral outward from Luxord's hand and hit the Heartless, making it roll backwards in the air. Then, lifting his hand upwards, an bunch of cards explode from underneath the Pink Concerto's feet, knocking it into the air. From there, Luxord leaps up and sends forth another flurry of cards at the Heartless, damaging it even more. Finally, he summons two large cards in his hands and slices through the Pink Concerto, making short work of the Heartless.

After the Heartless were defeated, the Cheshire Cat appears ontop of another mushroom, catching the attention of Draxon, Roxas, Mew, and Luxord.

"Bravo! Bravo! It seems you found what you were looking for. Of course, there's still one more to find. Hmm... I wonder if you wonder where it could be..." The Cheshire Cat says

"We'd find it easy enough if you'd just told us where to look, but I'm not holding my breath." Roxas says

"Oh, but you must! That would be loads of fun! But then, you'd have to be mad... Mad enough to hide within a birdcage, perhaps? Or mad... like... me..." The Cheshire Cat says

Again, the Cheshire Cat disappears.

"That was helpful." Roxas says sarcastically

"But he's right. I counted four of those Pink Concertos. We're still short one. Which means it must be around here somewhere. Let's keep moving. Maybe we'll find it." Draxon says

And so, with four Pink Concertos down, Draxon, Roxas, Mew, and Luxord proceed onwards to find the final Heartless. They head back the way they came and return to the Queen's Court.

"Now, if recall correctly, the Cheshire Cat mentioned a bird cage. We look for the cage, we'll find our Heartless." Draxon says

The four look around the area, searching for anything that resembled a bird cage. Mew glances over towards the Queen's Court and it saw something draped underneath a red curtain on the right side of the throne. It appeared to be a large bird cage.

"Mew! Mew Mew Mew!" Mew says

Draxon, Roxas, and Luxord looks at the small Pokémon as it points it's left-paw toward the side of the throne.

"That must be it. Nice work, Mew." Draxon says

"Mew Mew!" Mew says happily

Draxon cautiously walks over to the bird cage. When he reaches it, he grabs the curtain and quickly unfurls it. He expected to see the Pink Concerto inside the cage, but it was empty.

"Huh? It's empty." Draxon says

Unknown to Draxon, the Heartless appeared behind him, much to Roxas and Mew's shock.

"Oh dear. It would seem that the hunter has become the hunted." Luxord says with an amused smirk on his face

"Mew Mew!" Mew exclaims

"Draxon! Behind you!" Roxas exclaims

Draxon turns around upon hearing his name and he saw the Pink Concerto infront of him, emanating with a purple, poisonous smoke. Reacting quickly, the young teen leaps up over the Heartless just as it spews a toxic cloud on the ground where he once stood. Draxon lands over by Roxas, Mew, and Luxord and he summons Soul Calibur into his right-hand while the Pink Concerto turned to face them.

"I got this one." Draxon says

Draxon rushes up to the Pink Concerto and strikes it with some quick slashes. He swings his Keyblade with three left and right slashes, delivers a thrusting strike, a rising uppercut slash, and three overhead strikes. The Pink Concerto raises it's head and tries to smash Draxon into the ground with a headbutt, but he leaps back and counters the attack with a backflip slash, making it spin backwards. After recovering from the blow, the Pink Concerto spews another toxic cloud at the young teen. Draxon leaps high up into the air, dodging the toxic cloud. He then raises Soul Calibur high above his head, causing it to shine with it's benevolent light. Targeting the Heartless down below him, Draxon swings his Keyblade with a downward slash, sending a flaming crescent blade of blue light flying at the Heartless. The attack lands with a direct hit and unleashes a streak of blue flames upon impact, dishing out a ton of damage. Draxon swings his Keyblade again, this time with a right slash, launching another blade of light. Again, the attack hits the Heartless. Draxon launches five more blades of light down on the Pink Concerto, swinging his Keyblade downward and right. Each blade launched engulfs the Heartless in blue flames. Finally, Draxon hurls his shining Keyblade down at the Pink Concerto with a right toss, finishing it off. The Keyblade stabs into the Heartless, destroying it. It's captured heart floats up into the sky and fades away, returning to Kingdom Hearts.

Draxon lands crouched down by Roxas, Mew, and Luxord with Soul Calibur in his right-hand. He rises up on his feet and de-summons his Keyblade.

"And that's that." Draxon says

"Game, set, and match." Luxord says

"Another mission down." Roxas says

The Cheshire Cat appears standing on the court stand and congratulates the members of the victory.

"Quite brilliant indeed! Your sight's been set and found again." The Cheshire Cat says

"How did you know where they'd be? Are you connected to the Heartless somehow?" Roxas asks

"Yes, am I? Or aren't I? You have to decide." The Cheshire Cat says

Once more, the Cheshire Cat disappears.

"That cat is a walking question mark." Roxas says

"More like a walking riddle-maker." Draxon says

"Nobody's gonna reveal his hand from the get-go. You have to outwit your opponent in the give and take to figure them out. And frankly, I don't see you two outwitting that cat anytime soon." Luxord says

"Well, excuse me." Roxas says

Luxord stretches his left-hand out to his side and a dark corridor opens up.

"Heh. Let's head back." Luxord says

Having completed their mission, Draxon, Roxas, Mew, and Luxord entered the dark corridor and left Wonderland.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Draxon, Roxas, and Mew sat at their usual spot in Twilight Town at the top of the clock tower, gazing out at the sunset. They were the first to arrive and were soon joined by Axel, who came around the corner.

"Hey, boys." Axel greets

"Oh, hey Axel." Draxon greets

Axel walks over and sits down next to Roxas.

"Axel... about Xion..." Draxon says

"Saïx told me what happened this morning." Axel says

"Why does he hate her so much?" Roxas asks

"I know, right? Ever since Xion failed her mission to eliminate the Organization Imposter, Saïx has really been hard on her. All the insults and negative remarks. Can't he just cut her some slack?" Draxon says

Axel looks over at the two boys.

"Listen to yourselves. How come you two do that? Talking like a real person?" Axel asks

The two boys looks right at Axel.

"What? What did we say?" Draxon asks

"I mean, sometimes you both sound like you're heartsick or something." Axel says

Draxon and Roxas look toward each other, then stare back out at the sunset.

"When I saw her lying there... I couldn't stop thinking that she'll never wake up." Roxas says

"Yeah. Same. I wish there was someway we could help Xion." Draxon says

"She will." Axel says

"Saïx called her _'broken'_." Roxas says

"Not only that, he called her a _'creature'_. A _'failure'_. A _'mistake'_. He's got some nerve treating Xion like that." Draxon says

"Hmm... Well, if it cheers you both up, I'm probably more broken than her." Axel says

"Saïx must know something about her. Why me, Draxon, and her are special Nobodies." Roxas says

"You're probably right about that, Roxas. Saïx must know more than he's letting on." Draxon says

"Well... If it's gonna keep you boys up at night, I could ask him." Axel says

Draxon and Roxas look back at Axel in surprise.

"Really?!" Draxon and Roxas say in unison

"Yes, really! I'll ask, but don't get your hopes up. Straight answers aren't exactly his specialty." Axel says

"He's never been straight with us." Draxon says

"But he's more than likely to tell you." Roxas says

"True." Axel says

Draxon, Roxas, and Axel look back out at the setting sun.

"I just hope she wakes up soon." Roxas says

"Yeah. Me too." Draxon says

The four friends continue to sit quietly throughout the rest of the evening, gazing out at the majestic horizon as the sun shined it's orange light over the peaceful town.

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Draxon was in his room, sitting on his bed. He was obviously obsessed over Xion's predicament. Ever since she fell into her coma, he's been deeply worried about her. Many questions went through his mind. How could this happen to her? What was her mission? And more importantly, will she ever wake up. Mew floated up to Draxon, gaining his attention. The small Pokémon was very worried for Xion, but it was also worried for Draxon as well, seeing how he could hardly keep his mind off her. Draxon gently rubbed his right-hand on Mew's head, then looked out the window of his room, gazing up at the heart-shaped moon that hovered in the dark sky.

 _"Xion, please be alright."_ Draxon prayed in his thoughts

( _Meanwhile_ )

Xion was still asleep in her room, lying peacefully in her bed. On the side of her pillow were the two seashells that Draxon and Roxas left for her earlier as their gifts to her. Although Xion was asleep, she could hear the sound of the waves through the seashells.

 ** _~ Day 173 ~_**

 ** _Lies_ **

Draxon, Roxas, and Mew entered the Grey Area to receive their next missions. As they came in, they were greeted by Axel.

"Hey, boys." Axel says

"Hey, Axel. Did you find out anything about Xion?" Draxon asks

"I talked to Saïx." Axel says

"Really!?" Roxas says

"And?" Draxon asks

"His... his lips were sealed. Sorry. I tried." Axel apologizes

The two boys and Pokémon felt down upon hearing that Axel got no answers.

"Mew..." Mew says slumping over

"Oh, that's okay." Roxas says

"At least you tried." Draxon says

"But he did say that he would reconsider claiming Xion to be a failure if she proves herself more capable from now on. The best thing you both can do for her now is keep up the good work." Axel says

The two boys smiled in relief upon hearing that. Axel's words seemed to help lift their spirits up.

"You know we will!" Draxon says with a thumbs up

"Thanks, Axel." Roxas says

Draxon and Roxas walk up to Saïx with Mew to begin their new missions while Axel stood where he was. He watched them go, then he looked down and let a sigh.

"Ugh... Sorry, boys..." Axel sighs quietly

( _The Dragon Realms_ )

Draxon, Roxas, and Mew exit out of a dark corridor and arrive in the Dragon City of Warfang just outside the new Dragon Temple. Their mission here was Heart Collection. In addition, they were also sent to eliminate a Wavecrest that had appeared in this world. Draxon and Mew were familiar with the city. But for Roxas, it was whole new experience for him since this was his first time in the Dragon Realms. He looks around at all the buildings that made up the city. Most of the buildings in the city were restored, save but a few which were still in ruins. His eyes soon gazed upon a nearby dragon statue on his left, which was sitting proudly on it's haunches.

"So, this is the Dragon Realms." Roxas says

"Yep. We're in Warfang, the Dragon City." Draxon says

Draxon and Mew look up ahead of them.

"And straight ahead is the Dragon Temple." Draxon says

Roxas follows Draxon's gaze and he stared at the temple in amazement.

"Whoa..." Roxas says

"If we want to find out where the Heartless are in this world, we need to talk to the Dragon Guardians. They can point us in the right direction." Draxon says

Draxon looks back at Roxas.

"And there's some friends of mine I'd like you to meet." Draxon says

"Alright. Lead the way." Roxas says

Draxon nods his head and he proceeds toward the Dragon Temple with Roxas and Mew in tow. They make their way up the ramp and head through the doorway. The trio come into the entrance hall where Roxas looked around at all the paintings of dragons that were on the walls. The trio continue on into the next room where Roxas saw the large dragon statue, standing proud. Then, they come out into the courtyard where they saw a few young dragons going about their day. Draxon looked on ahead and he saw Ember, Flame, and Sparx. He smiled and went to go greet them.

"Ember! Flame! Sparx!" Draxon calls out

The two dragons and dragonfly turned around in response to hearing their names and they saw Draxon, Mew, and Roxas approaching them.

"Hi, Draxon!" Ember greets happily

"Draxon! Buddy!" Sparx says happy to see the young teen

"Hey, Draxon! How've ya been?" Flame says

"I've been doing good." Draxon says

Ember, Flame, and Sparx noticed Roxas standing next to Draxon and were wondering who he was.

"Uh, Draxon, who's that with you?" Ember asks

Draxon looks over at Roxas, who stood on his right.

"Oh, right." Draxon says

Draxon places his right-hand on Roxas' shoulder, introducing him to the two dragons and dragonfly.

"Guys, this is Roxas. He's one of my best friends. And he's a Keyblade Wielder just like me." Draxon says

"Hi." Roxas greets waving his right-hand

Ember walks up to the two boys and she introduces herself to Roxas.

"Nice to meet you, Roxas. Any friend of Draxon is a friend of mine. My name's Ember."

Flame steps up and walks over to Ember's right-side, introducing himself.

"So you're a Keyblade Wielder too, huh? That's awesome! I'm Flame."

Finally, Sparx flies up to Roxas and introduces himself.

"The name's Sparx. You're best buds with my man Draxon, huh? That's cool. 'Cause I am too!"

"Why are you here, Draxon?" Ember asks

"We came to see if any Heartless might've appeared in the Dragon Realms. You guys wouldn't happen to know if they've been spotted somewhere, have you?" Draxon says

"Well, now that you mention it, Hunter just came back from his trip to the Cheetah Village. He said a group of Heartless did appear in the Valley of Avalar." Ember says

"We were actually hoping that you would drop by to help deal with them." Flame says

"That's why we're here." Draxon says

"Great! Let's go tell the Guardians." Ember says

With Ember, Flame, and Sparx now joining them, Draxon, Roxas, and Mew push on towards the chamber straight ahead. Inside were Terrador, Volteer, Cyril, and Hunter, who standing around the Pool of Visions. They saw the heroes enter and they turned their attention towards them.

"Draxon, the timing of your arrival is impeccable. A group of Heartless has just shown up in the Valley of Avalar. We need you and your Keyblade there." Terrador says

"I know. Ember and Flame told me about it." Draxon says

Roxas stood alongside Draxon as he stared up at the Dragon Guardians while they stared back at him. Terrador approaches the two boys and looks over at Roxas.

"Draxon, who is this with you?" Terrador asks

"This is my friend, Roxas. He's with me to help deal with the Heartless. He's a Keyblade Wielder just like me." Draxon says

The large earth dragon lowers his head down to Roxas' level.

"Greetings, Roxas. I am Terrador, Guardian of Earth. It's a pleasure to meet another Keyblade Wielder other than Draxon."

Next, the ice dragon walks up and introduces himself to Roxas.

"It is rather fortunate that we have two wielders of the Keyblade in our midst. Especially with the blasted Heartless running about causing trouble. Well met, young chap. I am Cyril, Guardian of Ice."

Then, Volteer steps up and introduces himself.

"Truly fascinating it is to meet another Keyblade Wielder and a friend of Draxon. I am Volteer, Guardian of Electricity."

Finally, Hunter steps forward and places his right-paw over his chest, introducing himself.

"My name is Hunter. It's nice to meet you, Roxas."

"Okay! Great! Now that we all know each other, let's get down to business, shall we? We got some Heartless to beat down." Sparx says

"Right. We'd better get started. Hunter, can you lead us?" Draxon says

Hunter nods his head with a smile.

"Follow me." Hunter says

The cheetah warrior walks out of the chamber with the two Nobodies, two dragons, small dragonfly, and Pokémon trailing close behind. The group leaves the Dragon Temple and head out into the city. They move through the streets, following Hunter as he led them to the Forbidden Tunnel. Roxas saw many dragons, moles, and cheetahs pass by as they continued on their path. Most were helping to clean up the ruined buildings while some were just enjoying their day, talking with each other. Eventually, the heroes reach the Forbidden Tunnel and they head inside, leaving the Dragon City.

( _Moments later_ )

The group exit out of the tunnel and come into the Valley of Avalar. Roxas was amazed at how beautiful the valley was. But there was no time for sightseeing. They had Heartless to hunt down.

"So, where to?" Draxon asks

"Chief Prowlus told me that his scouts reported the Heartless were on the other side of the valley." Hunter says pointing out into the valley

"Then, that's where we're going. C'mon!" Draxon says

Draxon went on ahead, taking the lead with Roxas, Mew, Ember, Flame, Hunter, and Sparx, beginning their hunt for the Heartless. The heroes ventured forward into the Valley of Avalar, following the left-side of the riverbank to the other side. They encountered a few Heartless such as Chomper Eggs and Creepworms along the way, but they made short work of them and continued onwards.

After several minutes of traveling through the valley, they come into a wide, open area that housed a spring and a beautiful six multi-step waterfall.

"This is the area where the scouts saw the Heartless." Hunter says

"But where are they?" Ember asks

As soon Ember said that, the Heartless appeared out of thin air infront of them. These Heartless were five Shadow Magicians, thirteen Soldiers, and two Fire and Blizzard Plants.

"Right here." Draxon says

Draxon and Roxas both summoned their Keyblades, Soul Calibur and Kingdom Key, and got into battle stance. Ember and Flame reared back and stood alongside them. Hunter took out his bow and drew an arrow, taking aim at the Heartless. Mew transformed into a Charizard and it let out a mighty roar. Standing together, the heroes prepared for their fight against the Heartless.

Draxon attacks first by raising his Keyblade with both hands over his right-shoulder and swings it down to his left-leg, launching a spiraling blast of blue energy at one of the Shadow Magicians. The attack lands a direct hit to the Heartless, knocking it off it's broom and destroying it. Another Shadow Magician aims it's wand at the young teen and shoots a fireball at him. Draxon stood his ground and held his Keyblade like a baseball bat. Timing his strike at just the right time, he swings Keyblade and sends the fireball back at the Heartless. The fiery projectile hits the Shadow Magician and explodes on impact, blasting it into oblivion.

Roxas charges at a Soldier and goes through it with a thrusting strike. Another Soldier swipes it's claws at him, but he leaps back and counters the attack with a quick, left-diagonal spinning slash, destroying the Heartless on the spot. Roxas targets another Soldier in his view, turning to his right. He rushes forward at the Heartless and cuts it down with a right slash. A Fire and Blizzard Plant both shoot a fireball and an ice sphere at him. Roxas rolls to the left, dodging the fireball, then he rolls to the right, dodging ice sphere. The young teen points his Keyblade at the Fire Plant and he launches a large ice shard at the Heartless, destroying it in one shot. He then turns to the Blizzard Plant and launches a large fireball from the tip of his Keyblade, taking it out as well.

Charizard bites down on a Soldier with it's jaws and clamps down on the Heartless until it disintegrates, then it stomps it's right-foot down on another Soldier, crushing it. Another Soldier tries to sneak up behind Charizard while it's back was turned, but the Flame Pokémon caught sight of it and quickly slams it's tail into it, sending the Heartless flying into the spring. It's captured heart floated out of the water and disappeared into the sky. A Shadow Magician aims it's wand at Charizard, launching a dark sphere at it. Charizard notices the incoming attack and immediately leaps backwards with a strong flap of it's wings, nearly avoiding getting crushed into the ground by the miniature event-horizon. The Flame Pokémon flies back at the Heartless and takes a swipe with it's Dragon Claw attack, tearing the Shadow Magician to pieces.

Ember swipes her claws left and right at one Soldier, then she kicks it away using both her hind legs. Another Soldier takes a swipe at the pink dragoness with it's claws, but she leaps up and performs a somersault, bringing her tail down on the Heartless, slamming it into the ground. A Blizzard Plant launches an ice sphere at Ember. The pink dragoness turned to her right and saw the incoming projectile. Reacting quickly, she leapt out of the way, dodging the frozen sphere. Ember retaliates by launching a fireball from her mouth at the Blizzard Plant. The fiery blast hits the Heartless and explodes on impact. The Blizzard Plant was engulfed in flames and was ultimately defeated.

Flame shoots a fireball at a Soldier infront of him, destroying it on the spot. Another Soldier swipes both it's claws at the red dragon, but he leaps back and counters with a ramming headbutt, knocking the Heartless back. While the Heartless was left dazed by the counterattack, Flame grabs hold of the Soldier's right-leg using his teeth and lifts it up into the air. He slams the Soldier down into the ground on his left, then again to his right. He then throws the Heartless down infront of him and finishes it off with a horn dive. A Fire Plant shoots a fireball at Flame, who quickly noticed and leapt out of the way. Turning to the Heartless that was on his left, Flame charges at the Fire Plant, leaps up, and smashes his horns into it's face, destroying it with a strong blow.

Hunter aims for one of the two remaining Shadow Magicians, lining up his shot with his right-eye along the arrow. He pulls back and fires his bow, sending the arrow flying through the air. His shot lands with a precise hit to the Heartless' head, destroying it. The other Shadow Magician points it's wand at the cheetah warrior and launches a fireball at him. Using his swift agility and reflexes, Hunter quickly jumps and rolls to the left, dodging the incoming fireball. He draws another arrow from his quiver, takes aims at the Heartless responsible for the attack, pulls back and shoots, taking it out as well.

By this time, everyone had defeated their Heartless, except for Draxon who was just finishing up with the last remaining ones, which were just two Soldiers. Draxon slices through one of the Soldiers with a left slash, destroying it. The other Soldier takes a swipe at Draxon with it's right-claw, but he leaps back, dodging the blow. Striking back at the Heartless, Draxon swings his Keyblade with a right slash, slicing through the Soldier's stomach. From there, he sweeps the Heartless off it's feet with a low swipe from his Keyblade, causing it to fall backwards onto the ground. Then, Draxon raises Soul Calibur high above his head with both hands and brings the crystal Keyblade down on the Soldier, finishing it off.

Soon after the group of Heartless were defeated, another Heartless appeared infront of the heroes. It was the Wavecrest. The large draconic Heartless lets out a mighty roar at the group, who braced themselves for their next fight.

The Wavecrest shoots a beam of blue energy from it's mouth down at the heroes, forcing them to leap away and separate from each other. Draxon leaps up at the Heartless and attacks it with several quick blows. He strikes the Wavecrest's head with six side slashes, swinging his Keyblade left and right at rapid speed. Next, he performs a vertical somersault slash and a right horizontal spinning slash. Both attacks hit the Heartless three times. Then, Draxon drills into the Wavecrest's chest with a spinning strike, which hits six times. The Wavecrest performs an aerial backflip to knock the young teen away. Draxon quickly brought his Keyblade up to defend himself, but he was knocked away by the attack and was sent back down to the ground, landing next to Roxas, who made his move, rushing toward the Heartless.

Roxas leaps up and delivers multiple blows to the Wavecrest's head. He swings his Keyblade left and right five times, striking both sides of the Heartless' face. Next, he performs a somersault slash, which hits three times. Then, he swings his Keyblade with a right slash, a left slash, and finishes with a strong downward slash. The Wavecrest lunges at Roxas with it's jaws, but he moves his body to the left and counters the attack with a reverse roundhouse slash to it's face and a right diagonal slash to it's head.

The Wavecrest flaps it's wings and flies high up into the air. Then, it loops back around and swoops down at the heroes with a spinning spiral charge. The group quickly moves out of the way just as the Heartless comes barreling towards them. After missing them, the Wavecrest flaps it's wings to a stop and turns to face the heroes.

Ember and Flame both rush at the Wavecrest and they attack the draconic Heartless together. The pink dragoness rams her horns into the Wavecrest's chest, making it stagger backwards a bit, then she slams her tail into the left-side of it's face. The Heartless lunges at Ember with it's jagged jaws to bite her, but she flies away with it's teeth missing her tail by inches. Flame flies up to the Wavecrest and spews a stream of fire from his mouth into it's face. The Wavecrest shook off the attack and slaps the red dragon away with it's right-wing, making him spin backwards. Flame straightened himself and shook his head, recovering from the blow. He then looked on in shock as the Heartless was flying straight toward him. Reacting quickly, Flame flew out of the way of the incoming Heartless before it could ram into him. Or worse, impale him with it's large horn.

Hunter quickly notches an arrow into his bow and shoots it at the Wavecrest. The arrow lands a direct hit into it's chest, but it didn't do much. In fact, the attack barely fazed it. The Wavecrest turns it's attention towards Hunter and it shoots another blue energy beam at the cheetah warrior. Hunter jumps and rolls to the right, dodging the attack. Jumping back onto his feet, Hunter draws two more arrows from his quiver and shoots them at the Heartless.

Charizard uses it's Fire Blast attack, launching a blazing fireball up at the Wavecrest. Unfortunately, the attack missed as the Heartless flies over to the left, dodging the fireball. The Wavecrest unleashes a blue energy beam from it's mouth down at Charizard. The Flame Pokémon opens up it's wings and leaps up into the air, taking flight and dodging the energy beam. The two dragons were now engaged in an aerial flight. Charizard smashes into the Wavecrest's chest with a full body slam, knocking it back. The Heartless lunges at Charizard with it's teeth, but the Flame Pokémon darts over to the left and counters the attack by slamming it's tail into it's face. Afterwards, Charizard uses it's Flamethrower move, unleashing a powerful stream of flames on the Wavecrest. Then, Charizard grabs hold of the draconic Heartless and the two plummet towards the ground at incredible speed. Within moments, Charizard throws the Wavecrest into the ground and flies back up into the air. The Heartless tried to get back into the air by flapping it's wings, but the combined attacks of Draxon, Roxas, Ember, Flame, and Charizard had all but rendered it weak and it roared out in pain.

Draxon looks over at Charizard, who touches down gently on his left. The orange dragon nods it's head to him and he nods back. With the Heartless now weakened, the young teen moves in to finish it off. As he does, Soul Calibur begins to glow brightly with it's blue light. Once he closes in on the Wavecrest, Draxon delivers a powerful rising uppercut slash, striking the Heartless underneath it's chin. He follows up with four slashes, swinging his left and right, striking it's head. Then, he hits the Heartless with a right-diagonal spinning slash. Finally, he thrusts his Keyblade into the Wavecrest's chest, delivering the finishing blow. The Heartless froze as the Keyblade stabbed into it's body and it disintegrates in a flash of light soon after, releasing it's captive heart into the sky.

With the battle now over, the heroes regroup. Charizard reverts back into Mew and the small Pokémon flies over to Draxon.

"That's all the Heartless." Draxon says

"Two missions in one day." Roxas says

"All in a day's work." Sparx says

"Yep. And now it's back to Dragon Temple." Draxon says

"Okay. Let's go." Ember says

Having dealt with the Heartless, the heroes began their trek back to the Dragon City. Unaware to them, they were being watched by a dark, shadowy figure, who observed them from within the nearby trees. It was the Dark Echo, the very same evil entity that Draxon fought in the Kalos Region. His glowing red eyes followed the movement of the heroes as they left the area. But out of all the members of the group, his gaze was focused on Draxon. There was more to be expected from this young teen. His prowess of Keyblade's power was exceptional, as was to be expected from Devon's Nobody. He had seen his resolve, tested the strength of his will. Now, he had to test his endurance.

( _Moments later_ )

The two Nobodies along with Mew, the two young dragons, the cheetah warrior, and dragonfly were now back in the Dragon Temple, delivering their victory report to the Dragon Guardians.

"Terrador, you'll be pleased to know that the Heartless have been taken care of." Draxon says

"Thank you, Draxon." Terrador says nodding his head

"Yes, yes. Very well done, chaps. But there's still one thing we don't understand." Cyril says

"Right. Where did the Heartless come from?" Volteer says

Hearing this made the group ponder to their thoughts. Draxon crosses his arms as he tried to think. Then, Terrador spoke, gaining his attention.

"We remember the last time you were here, Draxon. During that time, the Heartless swarmed into the Valley of Avalar through a cave south of the Cheetah Village." Terrador says

"And now they appeared in an area west of that." Hunter says

"The Heartless must be coming from someplace else." Draxon says

"But where?" Ember asks

"From what we know, the Heartless lurk within dark places and they can appear anywhere at anytime. Trying to ascertain the pattern of their movements is intrical to this dark, foreboding mystery." Volteer says

"And not only that, the Heartless are bound to have more leaders." Cyril says

"Or it could be just one leader, guiding all the Heartless together as a whole. But still, Volteer is right. We must find out where the Heartless are appearing from." Terrador says

"So, basically we have to go on a big scavenger hunt to find out where all these Heartless are coming from?" Sparx says

The small dragonfly places his right-hand on his temple, groaning as to the scale of the hard task.

"Oh, man..." Sparx groans

"Well, I wish we could stay and help figure all this out, but me and Roxas have other places to be." Draxon says

"Yeah. We have other friends that need us." Roxas says

"Mew." Mew says nodding it's head in agreement

Terrador stares at the young teen and he nods his head in understanding.

"Yes. We understand that you both have other duties to tend to. We will try to look further into this mystery." Terrador says

"And if we find anything, you know we'll come looking for you, Draxon." Flame says

Draxon nods his head.

"Right. I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of this. But until then, we'll be seeing ya." Draxon says

Draxon, Roxas, and Mew wave good-bye to the five dragons, cheetah, and dragonfly and they take their leave. As they head out of the temple, the two boys looked toward each other.

"Draxon, do you think what Terrador said maybe right? Could someone be leading the Heartless other than the ones we've been facing?" Roxas says

The young teen looked down as he searched through his thoughts. He remembers back in the Kalos Region that he did see the Dark Echo in Lumiose City. His dark power seemed to be quite powerful enough that he could be able to control the Heartless. That would make him a likely candidate. Yet, he wasn't absolutely sure if he was connected to the Heartless in some way.

"I think I may have a suspicion, but I'm not sure. It's too soon to tell. I guess the only way we'll find out is to keep on fighting the Heartless until he reveals himself." Draxon says

Roxas stares at Draxon in surprise. Who was he talking about? Do the Heartless really have a leader? These thoughts soon drifted from Roxas' mind as they exit the Dragon Temple and they head down the ramp. Draxon stretches his right-hand out infront of him, opening up a dark corridor and the trio head inside, leaving the Dragon Realms.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Draxon, Roxas, and Mew met up with Axel in Twilight Town and they sat together at their usual spot up on the clock tower, eating Sea-Salt Ice Cream and gazing out at the sunset as it's orange light glimmered over the distant hills on the long horizon. Draxon took a few bites out of his ice cream, but soon stopped and stared at it. He glanced over at Roxas and Axel, who sat on his right, then he looked over to his left where Xion would sit. He wished that Xion could be with them, but she had to awaken from her coma first. And there was no telling how long that would take.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Oh no! Xion has fallen into a coma! As Draxon and Roxas were preparing to leave for their missions, they hear from Luxord that Xion had fell into a deep slumber after failing her recent mission. They visit Xion in her room, but were  
unable to do anything for her. The two boys leave behind some seashells as gifts for Xion and they continue on with their daily missions. Will Xion ever wake up? And what will happen when she does? Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


	22. Awakening

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 _ **~ Day 193 ~**_

 _ **Awakening**_

Two weeks and six days have passed since Xion fell into a coma. Draxon, Roxas, and Mew visited Xion every day before leaving on their missions, hoping that she might one day wake up. They came again today to check on her.

"Xion..." Draxon says

"All this time and she still won't wake up." Roxas says

"Mew..." Mew says in a sad voice

Draxon walks up to Xion's bed and he stares down at his best friend as she slept peacefully. He then looks over at the large number of seashells that he and Roxas had left for her on the side of her bed. Draxon glances back at Xion, closes his eyes, and lets out a sigh.

"I wish there was someway we could help her." Draxon says

The three friends continued to watch over Xion as she slept, waiting and hoping for the moment when she would wake up. But that wait would soon be over.

( _Xion's Mind_ )

In her sleep, Xion saw memories that she did not recognize. One in particular involved Sora's sacrifice to Kairi in Hollow Bastion. The young teen stabbed himself with the Keyblade of Hearts, releasing Kairi's heart. He then proceeded to fall backwards while Donald ran to him. Kairi sat up after recovering her heart and saw Sora falling. She quickly got up and rushed over to him. But just as she catches him, Sora fades away and his body breaks into wisps of light. Kairi's' voice echoed in Xion's mind.

 _"Sora!"_

Then, Xion saw another vision. This time, it involved Devon's sacrifice after he had defeated Lord Thanatos in the Unova Region with his friends. Devon stabbed himself with his own Keyblade, releasing a part of Kairi's heart so that it may rejoin with her body along with the rest of her heart. But this in turn caused Devon to fall backwards while his body glowed with light. All of his friends watched in shock while his Night Fury, Luna, rushed to catch him. Just as the female dragon reached her rider, Devon's body faded away and broke into wisps of light. Then, Xion heard Luna's voice echoing his name.

 _"Devon!"_

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Xion shot up from her bed, awakening from her coma, much to Draxon, Roxas, and Mew's surprise.

"Whoa!" Draxon and Roxas exclaim in surprise

"Mew!" Mew exclaims also surpised

The raven-haired girl looked around and saw that she was in her room. She then looked over to her left to see her three friends staring at her.

"Uh... Morning, Xion." Draxon greets

"Oh... Morning." Xion greets

"You woke up so suddenly you startled us." Roxas says

"Sorry..." Xion says

"It's okay. We're just glad to see you're alright." Draxon says

"Mew." Mew says nodding it's head in agreement

Xion looks down and she noticed the collection of seashells alongside the pillow.

"Oh... Did you guys bring me these seashells?" Xion asks

"Yeah. We collected them after every mission we did while you were out. Think of them like 'Get Well' gifts." Draxon says

"Mew mew!" Mew exclaims happily

"Mew helped pick some out for us." Draxon says

"Thank you, Roxas, Draxon, Mew." Xion thanks

Xion takes a seashell and holds it up to her right-ear.

"Do you hear it?" Roxas asks

"Yeah. The sound of the waves." Xion says

Xion moves the seashell away from her ear and glances over at the two boys and Pokémon.

"How long was I out?" Xion asks

"About twenty days." Roxas says

"Almost three weeks." Draxon says

"That long!?" Xion says surprised

"Yeah. You were sleeping so much that me, Draxon, Mew, and Axel were getting worried." Roxas says

"It's true. We had to work double to cover for you, Xion." Draxon says

"Mew." Mew says nodding it's head

"I'm sorry to have worried you." Xion apologizes

Xion looks down at her chest and places her right-hand on it.

"It's kind of weird that we can feel anything at all. Without having hearts to feel with." Xion says

Draxon crosses his arms and looks down. He had to agree with Xion. It was weird that the three of them could feel emotions, especially since they were Nobodies.

"Yeah. That actually is kinda weird." Draxon says

"Hey, Roxas, Draxon. Don't you both have work today?" Xion asks

"Huh? Oh, we were just about to head out." Roxas says

"I'd like to tag along." Xion says

Draxon and Roxas were both surprised by Xion's request. She had just awakened from a three week coma and now she wanted to join them for their mission?

"Are you sure?" Draxon asks

"Don't you need some more rest?" Roxas asks

"I'll be fine. C'mon, take me with you." Xion says

The two boys shared glances with each other, but they soon decided to bring Xion along.

"All right... Sure." Roxas says

"I don't see why not? It'll be nice to work alongside each other again. Let's do it!" Draxon says

"Mew! Mew!" Mew exclaims happily

Xion smiles and giggles a bit.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon, Roxas, and Xion walked into the Grey Area followed by Mew, who hovered alongside Draxon's right-side. They soon stopped when they saw Saïx approaching them. Draxon and Roxas stepped infront of Xion, protecting her from the blue-haired Nobody.

"Well, well. It lives. There's just no keeping you down." Saïx says

"Saïx, I want to go with Draxon and Roxas today on his mission." Xion says

"You belong in your room." Saïx says

Axel, who was in the room, came over and greeted his friends, Xion specifically.

"Oh, hey, Xion! About time you crawled out of bed." Axel greets

"Morning, Axel." Xion greets

"Draxon and Roxas are paired up with Axel today, as scheduled. Xion, I'm afraid I neglected to pencil you in." Saïx says

"Don't pent me up in here. I need the exercise." Xion pleads

Axel steps up to Saïx, gaining his attention.

"I'll look after Xion. I promise not to let her out of my sight." Axel says

"Neither will we." Draxon says

"Mew." Mew says nodding it's head in agreement

"Hmm..." Saïx says

Saïx closes his eyes, deep in thought. He then turns away from the group.

"Fine. Go, if that's what suits you." Saïx says

With that said, Saïx walks away, tending to his own duties. As soon as he was gone, Axel looks over at the three young teens and nods to them. They smiled and nodded back.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Draxon, Roxas, Xion, Axel, and Mew all exit out of a dark corridor, arriving in the Back Alley in Twilight Town. Their mission was to hunt down two specific Heartless: A Heat Saber and a Destroyer.

"This should be fun, huh? Teaming up like this." Xion says

"Yeah. This'll be our first five-man mission." Roxas says

"I can't wait to get started." Draxon says

"Mew! Mew!" Mew says happily

"Just remember it's still a mission. We're not on a field trip, guys." Axel says

"Yeah, yeah. It's sure nice to be back on my feet." Xion says

"Just don't push it, okay? We'll pick up the slack." Axel says

"I hear you. Thanks." Xion says

"Alright. Let's go." Draxon says

With that, the heroes set off and began their mission. They head down the stairs in the alley to the Sandlot and right on the bat, they encounter their first target. It was the Heat Saber. The Heartless drops down from the sky and ignites it's fire blades, lighting them on fire. Draxon, Roxas, and Xion summon their Keyblades while Axel summoned his Chakrams. Mew glowed with a bright light and it transformed into a Blastoise.

"Blastoise!" The Tortoise Pokémon says

Blastoise extends it's water cannons out from it's shell and stands alongside the four Nobodies, ready for the fight.

The Heat Saber charges at the heroes with it's flaming blades, preparing to strike. Draxon leaps forward at the Heartless to meet it head-on. As he closes the distance, he encases himself in a spherical barrier of light. Within moments, the two warriors clash. The barrier defends Draxon against the Heat Saber's attack and it shatters on impact, unleashing a series of medium-sized light explosions, which sends the Heartless staggering backwards. Draxon continues his assault on the stunned Heartless, striking it with swift blows. He swings his crystal Keyblade left and right with two sets of cross slashes and follows up with a strong overhead spinning strike. Then, Draxon delivers a dashing backflip slash, a downward slash, a left-angled spinning slash, and finishes with a charging reverse roundhouse slash.

Roxas and Xion move in and join in on the attack. Roxas strikes the Heartless with a left and right spinning slash, swinging his Keyblade one way, then swings it the other way. He follows up with a backflip slash and a somersault slash, landing five hits all together. The Heat Saber spins around and swings both it's blades at Roxas, but he quickly leaps away to avoid being struck. Xion dashes past Roxas and attacks the Heartless with a thrusting strike, slamming her Keyblade into it's chest. She then follows up with an upward slash, a right slash, a dashing backflip slash, and a leaping somersault slash. The Heat Saber leaps up into the air and dives back down on the three Keyblade Wielders with it's fire blades pointed down at them. Draxon, Roxas, and Xion all leap backwards, dodging the Heartless just as it smashes into the ground.

Axel spins his chakrams in his hands, engulfing them in flames, and throws them four times at the Heat Saber. Each throw lands a hit to the Heartless, creating minor explosions on impact. The Heat Saber slides toward Axel and lunges at him with it's fire blades. Axel leaps over to the right, away from the Heartless, dodging the attack. He then counters the attack by combining his two chakrams into an enormous one and hurls it at the Heat Saber. The large flaming chakram strikes the Heartless in the chest, creating a large explosion on impact, blasting it backwards.

Blastoise aims it's cannons at the Heat Saber and shoots a huge volume of water using Hydro Pump. The attack lands a direct hit at it's chest with enough force to dish out a ton of damage. The Heat Saber spins it's fire blades around, heading straight toward Blastoise. When it got close enough, the Heartless lunges it's blades at the Tortoise Pokémon. Blastoise took the hit, but thanks to it's thick shell and Water-type element, the attack didn't have very much effect on it. The Tortoise Pokémon counters the attack by ramming it's head into the Heartless using Skull Bash. Then, Blastoise rushes forward, withdraws into it's shell, and spins across the Sandlot through the air toward the Heartless using Rapid Spin. The Tortoise Pokémon slams into the Heat Saber with powerful force, knocking it back a good feet away. The Heartless stumbled around for a bit, but eventually it fell down onto it's knees.

Draxon saw that Blastoise's attack had left the Heat Saber stunned and weakened. This was his chance to finish off the Heartless. The young teen instantly teleports over to the Heat Saber in a flash of blue light and he delivers a fierce, powerful blow to it's head, swinging his glowing Keyblade with a reverse roundhouse slash across it's face. He follows up with a backflip slash, a somersault slash, a right upward slash, a downward slash, a left slash, and an uppercut slash, which knocks the Heat Saber back up onto it's feet. Then, in that moment, Draxon drives Soul Calibur straight into the Heat Saber's chest, dealing the finishing blow. The Heartless froze as the crystal Keyblade stabbed into it's body. Eventually, the dark creature disappears in a flash of light, releasing it's captive heart into the sky.

After the fight was over, Draxon, Roxas, Xion, and Axel de-summon their weapons while Blastoise transforms back into Mew.

"That's one target down." Axel says

"Now to find the next one." Draxon says

"Where should we start looking?" Xion asks

Draxon looks around the sandlot, thinking on where he and his friends should go next. He looks over towards the archway on his right, which leads on to the Tram Common. Then, he heard the clock tower ringing it's bells and looks up at it. He felt that their next target would probably be there and decided that they should head up that way.

"Let's try by the station." Draxon says

With that said, Draxon ventured onward into town while Roxas, Xion, Axel, and Mew followed his lead as they left the Sandlot. They encountered a few Heartless such as Detonators and Minute Bombers, but they were quickly dealt with and they continued onwards up the slope. After making their way through town, the five friends come into the Station Plaza to search for their next target. Suddenly, the moment they set foot in the area, Xion felt dizzy and she collapsed. Mew was the first to notice and the small Pokemon called out to the three boys.

"Mew! Mew!" Mew cries out

Draxon, Roxas, and Axel turn around upon hearing Mew's voice and were shocked to see Xion unconscious on the ground.

"Xion!" Draxon and Roxas exclaim in unison

( _Xion's Mind_ )

More of Sora and Devon's memories flashed through Xion's mind. First, she saw Sora opening his arms to catch Kairi, who was blown towards him by a gale of darkness, only for her to disappear right before his eyes. Her previous vision of Sora's sacrifice played out again with the young boy glowing with light. Then, she saw Kairi handing her wayfinder to Sora. Kairi's voice echoed through her mind.

 _"It's my lucky charm. Be sure to bring it back to me!"_

Up next was Devon's memories from when Destiny Islands was consumed by the darkness, to the time his epic journey began. First, Xion saw Devon facing off against the Darkside Heartless with Sora. After that, she saw Devon lying unconscious in Berk when Luna, the female Night Fury found him, and how they stood together against a group of Shadow Heartless. Next, she saw Devon holding a bright star in his hands before it exploded into several more stars, and him meeting Hiccup, Toothless, Astrid, and the rest of the Viking Teens. Then came Devon and his friends meeting Spyro and Cynder in the Dragon Realms. Finally, she saw Devon with Soul Calibur drawn in his right-hand, leading his group of friends as they went on their grand adventure together. Xion soon heard Devon's voice echoing in her mind.

 _"Sora... Riku... Kairi... Hold on... I will find you guys, and I'll bring us back together._ "

( _Twilight Town_ )

Draxon, Roxas, Axel, and Mew gathered around Xion, worried for her after she collapsed. Axel knelt down and held Xion in his arms. Draxon and Roxas stared at their friend with worried expressions clear on their faces. But they were also confused. How could Xion have fallen unconscious only moments after awakening from her coma earlier in one day? She had appeared to be fine so far during their mission together. So why did she collapse now? All these questions bounced around in their minds as they tried to sort out this confusion.

Suddenly, a giant Heartless appeared before the group, catching their attention. It was their target: the Destroyer. The large Heartless charges up an orb of blue energy in it's diamond-shaped guns and it fires a laser beam at the group. Axel grabs Xion and leaps over to the right while Draxon, Roxas, and Mew leap over to the left.

"Leave Xion to me!" Axel says

"Got it!" Roxas says

"Understood! We'll deal with this." Draxon says

Draxon and Roxas both summon their Keyblades and got into battle stance with Mew floating alongside them, ready for their fight against the Destroyer.

Draxon jumps up to the Destroyer and attacks it with some aerial strikes. He swings his Keyblade with a downward slash, a right-upward slash, a left slash, a right-downward slash, a roundhouse slash, two backflip slashes, and a somersault slash. He then kicks away from the Heartless, spins around, and swings his Keyblade with a right slash, launching five blue electric blasts at the Heartless before landing back on the ground with a backflip. Each of the electric blasts lands a hit to the Destroyer, exploding on impact. The Destroyer aims it's guns at Draxon and fires two laser beams at him. Draxon jumps and rolls to the left, evading the laser beams. Rising up to his feet, the young teen hurls his crystal Keyblade at the Heartless, landing a strong hit to it's head.

Roxas aims his Keyblade at the Destroyer and shoots a medium-sized fireball at it. The fireball lands with direct hit and explodes on impact. Roxas shoots three more fireballs at the Heartless, adding on to the magic attack. The Destroyer charges up energy in it's guns and unleashes a laser beam at the young teen. Roxas quickly rolls to the right and avoids being blasted by the large laser. Rising back up to his feet, Roxas raises his Keyblade into the air using a Thunder spell, summoning a powerful bolt of lightning, which strikes down on the Heartless.

The Destroyer charges up another attack and shoots another laser beam at the two young teens. Mew quickly flew up infront of them and used Barrier, encasing Draxon, Roxas, and itself inside it's pink barrier, which shielded them from the laser beam. Afterwards, Mew uses Ancient Power, conjuring up a silver ball of light using it's afterimage and hurls it straight at the Heartless.

As the fight went on, four Minute Bombs appeared infront of the Destroyer and they started wobbling their way over to the heroes. Draxon glances down at the Minute Bombs that were wobbling towards them. As if on instinct, he stretches his left-hand out to them. The small Heartless were frozen in their tracks, unable to move. Draxon turns his hand over and he lifts it upwards, raising the Minute Bombs into the air through telekinetic force. He then thrusts his hand forward, sending the Heartless flying into the Destroyer. Each of the Minute Bombs explode on impact, dishing out a explosive damage to the Destroyer.

The Destroyer now had it's sights set on Draxon and it aims it's guns at him and it fires several lasers in his direction. Draxon stands his ground and deflects the lasers away with his Keyblade. Some of the lasers were shot back at the Heartless. The Destroyer charges up more energy in it's guns and it shoots yet another large laser beam at Draxon. The young teen quickly leaps back a good feet away, avoiding the laser beam as it blasts the ground where he once stood.

Draxon grips his crystal Keyblade with both hands and holds it out infront of him. He closes his eyes and concentrates on channeling his light into his next attack. Soul Calibur starts to glow with it's blue light and blue electricity surges through the blade. Draxon's body began to glow with a blue light and the same electricity dances and crackles across his entire body, surging through his arms and legs, and it increased with intensity with each passing moment. Soon, the young teen opens his eyes, which were now glowing blue. He pulls his Keyblade back over to his right-side, then thrusts it forward, shooting a powerful beam of electricity at the Destroyer. The Heartless was struck by the intense attack and was violently electrocuted. After a full ten seconds, the Destroyer disintegrates in a flash of light. It's heart was released and sent floating up into the sky back to Kingdom Hearts.

With the Heartless defeated, Draxon, Roxas, and Mew focus back on Xion, who was still in Axel's arms unconscious.

"Xion!" Roxas exclaims

The two teens rush over to Axel and Xion and they kneel down to them.

"Sora... Devon..." Xion mutters

Axel looks down at Xion with widened eyes, surprised by he had heard. He then looks up at Draxon and Roxas as they rushed over and kneeled down to him.

"Axel? How is she?" Draxon asks

"It's okay. She's not hurt." Axel says

"But, Axel..." Roxas says

"Let's just head back to the castle and call it a day alright?" Axel says

Draxon and Roxas both nodded in agreement and they rise back up on their feet. Draxon stretches his left-hand out to his side, opening up a dark corridor while Axel carries Xion in his arms. Having completed their mission, the heroes enter the dark corridor and leave Twilight Town.

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Saïx walks down the stairs of the castle and he saw Draxon, Roxas, Mew, and Axel return from their mission. He also noticed Xion unconscious in Axel's arms. Needless to say, he wasn't the least bit surprised. It was almost like he expected this to happen.

"Well, that didn't take long. Did it break again?" Saïx says

"Hey! Back off, Saïx!" Draxon yells irritated by Saïx' attitude

"She's not an 'it'!" Roxas says

Axel walks up to Saïx and stops right next to him on his left.

"Keep your mouth shut." Axel says coldly

The red-haired Nobody continued onwards heading up the stairs with Draxon, Roxas, and Mew following close behind. Saïx stood where he was and didn't even bother to look back.

"You've changed... What happened at Castle Oblivion? Does the past mean nothing to you?" Saïx says

After saying that, Saïx went off to his own duties.

( _Moments later_ )

Xion was brought back into her room and was now lying in bed with Draxon, Roxas, Axel, and Mew standing loyally by her side.

"Are you worried about her, Axel?" Roxas asks

"Of course I am." Axel says

"Doesn't seem like you." Draxon says

"What do you mean?" Axel asks

"You don't like things to be complicated." Draxon says

Axel crosses his arms and just smiled.

"You know, boys. Each day the four of us..." Axel says

Axel stops and looks at Mew, who was floating next to Draxon's right.

"Make that five..." Axel says

Continuing his conversation, Axel looks at the two boys.

"Anyway, the five of us meet up in Twilight Town for ice cream. Now, why do you think that is?" Axel asks

"Huh?" Roxas says feeling confused

"What do you mean?" Draxon asks

"I mean, if you think about it, I don't need to go out of my way to meet you guys, right?" Axel says

The two boys stared at Axel confused, then they look away.

"I don't know..." Roxas says

"I guess not." Draxon says

"You want me to tell you why? It's because you guys are my best friends." Axel says

Draxon and Roxas look back up at Axel surprised.

"Really?" Draxon asks

"We are?" Roxas asks

"Get it memorized, alright? We're best friends." Axel says

Axel looks over at Mew.

"And Mew, of course. We're inseperable." Axel says

"Mew!" Mew says happily smiling

Draxon and Roxas share glances with each other. Axel did have a point. The four of them, including Mew, were best friends.

"Oh yeah... Guess we are." Roxas says

Suddenly, the three Nobodies and Mew heard giggling.

"Heh heh..."

They glance down at the bed and saw that it was Xion, who was now awake.

"Thanks, Axel. You're sweet." Xion says

Draxon and Roxas both chuckle a bit while Axel scratches the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Xion, are you feeling alright?" Draxon asks

"I just got a little dizzy, that's all. Sorry to worry you guys." Xion says

"Don't scare us like that anymore. Just take it easy today." Axel says

"I will. Thank you, guys." Xion says

Draxon, Roxas, Axel, and Mew left the room, allowing Xion to rest and recover.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Namine was inside the white room within the Old Mansion, drawing a picture in her scrapbook. On the drawing was Draxon, Roxas, Xion, Axel, and Mew. Draxon was on the left-side of the picture with Roxas and Mew on his right. Axel was on the right. And smack dab in the middle was Xion. Namine was just about finishing her picture, drawing Xion last. Everything was complete, except for one thing. Xion didn't have her face. Namine was about to draw her face, but she stopped as if she realized something. She stared at the picture and then pondered to herself.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Xion's awake! After weeks of sleeping, Xion finally awakens from her coma. Draxon, Roxas, Xion, Axel, and Mew all go on a mission together in Twilight Town. Their mission goes quite smoothingly until Xion falls unconscious again. But worry not, she up and at it again. There's still more hardships on the road ahead. But for now, it's back to daily mission duty. Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


	23. Working Together

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor & respect their great works.

* * *

 _ **~ Day 194 ~**_

 _ **Like It Should Be**_

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Draxon, Roxas, and Mew walk into the Grey Area, ready to recieve their next mission of the day. Inside the room was Xigbar, Axel, Luxord, and Xion. Seeing that Xion was in the room, the trio decided to check up on her.

"Hey, Xion." Draxon greets

Xion turns and greets the trio with a smile on her face.

"Oh, hi, Draxon, Roxas." Xion says

"Mew!" Mew greets happily

"And hello to you too, Mew." Xion greets

"Mew! Mew!" Mew says happily

"How are you feeling?" Roxas asks

"Better now that I'm back to doing missions." Xion says

"That's great!" Draxon says

The four friends soon saw Saïx approaching them. He stops a few feet infront of them and looks over at Draxon with his assignment.

"Draxon, you are to head to the Kalos Region. Your mission is to eliminate a Thorned Snake." Saïx says

Shifting his gaze, the blue-haired Nobody looks over at Roxas, who was on Draxon's left.

"Roxas, you will be joined with Luxord on your mission to Wonderland." Saïx says

"Good luck on your missions, guys." Xion says

"You too." Draxon says

( _Kalos Region_ )

Draxon and Mew step out of a dark corridor and arrive in Laverre City. They look around, taking in their surroundings.

"Where are we?" Draxon asks

"Yes! It's finally today!" A voice says

"Pika!" Another voice says

"Huh?" Draxon says

The Keyblade Wielder and his small Pokémon look over to their right and they saw Ash and his friends standing infront of the Laverre Gym, which had a Japanese-style to it.

"Ash." Draxon says

"Hey, Sawyer. Have you ever watched a gym battle before?" Serena asks

"No. It's my first time. My heart's pounding like you wouldn't even believe!" Sawyer says

"But Ash is battling. Not you." Bonnie says

"I hope you'll be out there cheering." Ash says

"Pika." Pikachu says

"Of course!" Sawyer says

"Have you figured out how to deal with Valerie's Fairy-types? Judging from her challenge yesterday, it's clear there's a lot we don't know about her techniques." Clemont says

"I haven't. Not yet." Ash says

"Pika pika." Pikachu says feeling determined

"Will you be okay?" Bonnie asks feeling concerned

"Ash will be fine. Ash and his Pokémon have always worked together which is the key to winning Gym badges. That's why he'll be able to beat Valerie." Serena says

"Yeah, you got that right!" Ash says

"Hey, Ash!" A voice calls out

"Huh?" Ash says

"Pika?" Pikachu says

Ash and his friends turn and look behind them and smiled as they saw Draxon and Mew approaching them with Draxon waving his right-hand.

"Hey, Draxon! You made it!" Ash says

"Pika pika!" Pikachu greets happily

"Mew mew mew!" Mew greets also happy

"I haven't seen you guys in a while. Good thing I was able to catch up with you. What's going on?" Draxon says

"Ash is about to have his Gym battle with Valerie of the Laverre City gym." Serena says

Draxon looks around at the city, then looks back at Ash.

"This is Laverre City, huh? Looks like I came at just the right time. Seems like I'll finally be able to watch you and your Pokémon do battle, Ash." Draxon says

"I'm really glad you're here, Draxon." Ash says

"Yeah same." Draxon says

Sawyer stepped up and approached Draxon, wanting to introduce himself.

"So, you're Draxon, huh? Ash and his friends told me much about you." Sawyer says

Sawyer places his right-hand over his chest, gesturing to himself.

"My name's Sawyer."

Draxon nods his head.

"Nice to meet you, Sawyer." Draxon says

"We met Sawyer yesterday as we came to Laverre City. And he's a Pokémon Trainer just like Ash." Serena says

"Yeah. Ash and his friends told me that you're a Keyblade Wielder. I would certaintly like to see it sometime." Sawyer says

"Sure. Maybe later when Ash finishes his battle with Valerie." Draxon says

Sawyer looks over at Mew as it floated next to Draxon's left-side.

"Wow... So that's the legendary Mew. This is really awesome! You sure are lucky, Draxon." Sawyer says

Draxon looks at Mew and the two shared glances with each other.

"Mew!" Mew says

"Yeah. I guess I am lucky." Draxon says

The Keyblade Wielder looks up at the building infront of him, but what immediately caught his eye was the large tree that sprouted from it.

"So, I'm guessing this is the Laverre Gym, right?" Draxon says

"Yeah! That's right." Bonnie says

"We were just about to head inside. You wanna tag along?" Ash says

"Of course! It's my first time getting to watch a Gym battle." Draxon says

"This is my first time, too." Sawyer says

"Alright. Then, let's go." Draxon says

With that said, the group proceeded to enter the Laverre Gym. Draxon knew that he had his mission to do for the Organization, but he felt that it can wait. He was about to watch Ash and his Pokémon duke it out in a Gym battle and he wasn't about to miss an opportunity like this.

The group enter the reception area and were greeted by the Furisode Girls: Katherine, Kali, Linnea, and Blossom, who were Valerie's assistants.

"We welcome you to the Laverre Gym." The Furisode Girls say in unison bowing to the group

"I'm here for a Gym battle." Ash says

The girls split apart to allow the heroes passage up the staircase to the gym. Kali and Linnea to the left. And Katherine and Blossom to the right. The group pass the girls and they head up the stairs, ready to make their entrance. As they pass by, the Furisode Girls couldn't help but stare at Draxon and Mew.

"Who is that?" Kali asks

"I don't know. But he sure is handsome." Katherine says

"Yeah." Linnea says

"That Pokémon was Mew, isn't it?" Kali asks

"It totally was!" Katherine says

"Oh, my gosh! It's so cute!" Blossom says

The heroes soon reach the top of the stairs and arrive at the arena. They all gasped in amazement at what they saw. The arena looked like a traditional japanese garden complete with lanterns, rocks, beautiful plants, bonsai trees, and flower bushes. Ash stepped into the arena while Draxon and the others went up to the stands to watch the battle. Sawyer stood at the far left of the group with Clemont on the right. In between them was Serena, Draxon and Mew on her left, and Bonnie to their left. Sawyer took out a Pokéball and released his Pokémon, Treecko.

"Treecko." Treecko says

"We're spectators today, okay. I know that if we watch their battle closely we'll learn a lot. I'll be sure to make lots of notes on this experience." Sawyer says

"Treecko." Treecko says in an affirmative tone

"And we will too." Clemont says

"Right!" Serena says

"Alright! Learning's fun!" Bonnie says

"This is it. Our first time watching a Gym Battle." Draxon says

Draxon looks left at Mew.

"You ready, Mew?" Draxon asks

"Mew." Mew says nodding it's head

Draxon nods his head and he turns his attention down to the arena.

"Hold on. Where's Valerie?" Ash asks

"No need to rush these things. The Gym Leader will be here shortly." Kali says looking over to the other side of the arena

The lights in the gym dimmed down and the gym windows shine brightly, turning into holograms of petals falling down. The group watches in amazement.

"Like a designer's gym should look." Sawyer says

Then, the Gym Leader, Valerie makes her appearance walking out into the arena..

"It's her." Ash says

"Pika." Pikachu says feeling determined

"It's Valerie." Sawyer says

"The time has finally come. Valerie, the Laverre Gym Leader is now making her entrance." Kali announces

The gym lights back up regularly and the background in the hologram windows change to match the japanese scenery around the arena. Valerie takes a bow and greets Ash and his friends to the gym.

"I welcome you all to my Gym. I believe your name is Ash, right? How many Gym badges do you have?" Valerie says

"I have five of them. Right now. And after this, I'll have six Gym badges." Ash says

Valerie chuckles.

"Such spirit. You're certaintly confident, aren't you? But I won't let you win that easily." Valerie says

"The stronger the opponents we face, the more we get totally fired up and psyched! We're not gonna lose this battle, no way!" Ash says

"Alright then. Shall we?" Valerie says

"The Laverre Gym Battle between Valerie, the Gym Leader and Ash from Pallet Town, the challenger will now get under way! Each trainer will have the use of two Pokémon and the battle will be over when either of the trainer's Pokémon are unable to continue. Furthermore, only the challenger will be permitted to substitute Pokémon. That's all!" Kali announces

"Two, huh?" Ash says

"Pika." Pikachu says feeling concerned

"I'll choose first." Valerie says

"Huh?" Ash says

"Sylveon... appear!" Valerie says

Valerie twirls around and tosses her Pokéball into the air, summoning her Pokémon.

"Sylveon!"

"It's Sylveon." Ash says

As Ash tries to think of what Pokémon he should choose, Valerie does something unexpected. She speaks to Sylveon, communicating through it's name-sake language.

"Syl syl syl." Valerie says

"Veon!" Sylveon says

"Sylveon syl syl." Valerie says

"It's just like Serena said. Valerie talks with Pokémon." Ash says

Valerie notices that Ash was staring at her and she chuckles.

"Honestly? I've always wanted to be a Pokémon so I managed to learn how to speak with them." Valerie says

"Awesome." Ash says amazed

"It's true I can't communicate with every Pokémon, but I can understand most of what my Pokémon are telling me." Valerie says

"She learned how to talk to Pokémon because she wants to be a Pokémon?" Sawyer says confused

"Valerie can talk to Pokémon, huh? That's impressive." Draxon says

"I use Fairy-type Pokémon in my Gym. I happen to be quite strong, so watch your step." Valerie says

"Here's my first Pokémon!" Ash says

Ash takes out his Pokéball and throws it up into the air.

"Fletchinder, I choose you!" Ash says

The Pokéball opens up, releasing Fletchinder into the arena.

"Fletch!"

Fletchinder flies around and gently lands in the arena on Ash's side.

"Good. Well then, make your move." Valerie says

With both their Pokémon out on the battlefield, Ash and Valerie were now ready for battle.

"Okay! Here we go!" Sawyer says

"Treecko." Treecko says in agreement

"Battle begin!" Kali announces

With that said, the gym battle commenced with Ash making his first move.

"Let's do this, Fletchinder! Now, use Steel Wing!" Ash commands

"Fletch-inder!"

Fletchinder rams into Sylveon with it's white glowing wings, dishing out significant damage to Sylveon, knocking it back a few feet.

"Wow, that was perfect!" Serena says

"And it was super effective!" Clemont says

"Got it. That just showed us Steel-type moves are really effective against Fairy-type Pokémon." Sawyer says

Sylveon shakes itself to recover from Fletchinder's attack while Valerie stares in shock.

"Ah! Are you alright?" Valerie asks concerned for her Pokémon

"Veon." Sylveon says upset

"Alright, we can't underestimate them, can't we?" Valerie says

Valerie then puts on a serious look.

"But now it's our turn! Disarming Voice!" Valerie says

"Eoooooon!"

Sylveon lets out a charming cry in the form of heart-shaped waves which stuns Fletchinder for a bit.

"Now, Fletchinder! Use Peck, let's go!" Ash commands

The red sparrow flies out of the heart-shaped waves and swoops down towards Sylveon to peck it with it's sharpened beak.

"Quick, catch it!" Valerie says

Sylveon leaps over to the right, dodging Fletchinder's attack and catches it with it's ribbons. Then, Sylveon spins Fletchinder around, canceling out its attack.

"No way!" Ash gasps in shock

"Pika!" Pikachu says also shocked

"Oh no!" Bonnie exclaims

"What a weird way to battle!" Sawyer says surprised by Sylveon's move

"A Pokémon battle isn't just about an exchange of moves. Some Trainers know everything about their Pokémon's skills and will use them to their full potential. Valerie's exceptionally good at that." Clemont says

"Alright!" Katherine cheers

"You can do it, Sylveon!" Blossom cheers

"Go all the way!" Linnea cheers

"We're not done just yet. Sylveon, Fairy Wind!" Valerie says

"Veooooon!"

Sylveon stirs up a vortex of sparkly wind through it's ribbons, damaging Fletchinder even more.

"Incredible power!" Clemont gasps

"Fletchinder!" Bonnie exclaims

"Dene-ne." Dedenne says concerned

"Fletchinder! Be strong!" Serena says

"Wow. Valerie wasn't kidding about her Pokémon. Seems like her Sylveon is pretty strong." Draxon says

Ash stares up at Fletchinder as it was engulfed in the Fairy Wind.

 _"We need to untie those ribbons!"_ Ash says in his thoughts

"So, what do you think, Ash? Sylveon's ribbons can do more than just flutter beautifully, you see? While Fairy-types are graceful, they also possess dangerous hidden fangs." Valerie says

"Ugh!" Ash grunts in frustration

"What's Ash gonna do?' Sawyer asks

"I'm not sure, but it sounds like he's in a real jam." Draxon asks

"Come on, Ash! Fletchinder, you can do it!" Serena cheers

"Valerie! When it comes to hidden fangs, Fletchinder has them too." Ash says

"Huh?" Sawyer says surprised

"Heat up, Fletchinder! And use Flame Charge!" Ash commands

"Fletch-inder!"

Fletchinder heats up with flames engulfing it's body and it swoops down and slams into Sylveon, freeing itself from it's ribbons.

"I'm impressed. Giga Impact!" Valerie says

Sylveon charges forward at Fletchinder with it's body shrouded in a corona of bright light.

"We won't back down. Use Steel Wing!" Ash says

Fletchinder flies low to the ground and straight toward Sylveon with it's hardened wings. Within moments, the two Pokémon clash with powerful force, kicking up a cloud of dust. The dust soon settles, revealing Fletchinder and Sylveon standing on opposite sides with their backs turned to each other. Everyone looks on in anticipation. After a few seconds in the standoff, Fletchinder stumbles for a bit, but it was able to maintain it's balance and stand on it's feet. Then, Sylveon falls over on it's left-side and collapses onto the ground defeated much to Valerie's shock.

"Sylveon!" Valerie cries out

"Sylveon..." Sylveon says dazed

The Furisode Girls gasped in shock. Not many people have been able to defeat Valerie's Sylveon.

"Kali? Make the call!" Valerie says

"Uh, right! Sylveon is unable to battle! Fletchinder wins!" Kali says

"Yes! That's one down!" Ash says

"Wow, you did it, Fletchinder!" Serena says

"That was so cool!" Bonnie says

"So that proves that Steel-type moves are super effective against Fairy-type Pokémon. Just like it's supposed to be." Sawyer says writing in his notebook

"Treecko tree!" Treecko says excited

Valerie takes out Sylveon's Pokéball and calls it back.

"Sylveon. Return, please." Valerie says

The Pokéball shoots a red beam at Sylveon, transporting it back inside.

"You battled wonderfully. Take a nice rest." Valerie says rubbing the Pokéball

"Fletchinder hung in there and beat her first Pokémon." Clemont says

"Hmm, but I wonder what her next one is?" Serena says

"She's a Gym Leader. Ash still can't let his guard down. There's still a tough battle ahead." Sawyer says

Valerie closes her eyes in thought of choosing her next Pokémon. She soon opened her eyes as she knew which Pokémon to send out into battle.

"Be warned. It won't be the same this time." Valerie says

The female Gym Leader tosses her Pokéball forward, releasing her chosen Pokémon out into the arena. It was Spritzee.

"Spritzee."

"There's that Spritzee." Bonnie says

"Spritzee." Sawyer says

Ash and his friends were very familiar with Valerie's Spritzee. The day prior to Draxon's arrival in the Kalos Region, Sawyer challenged Valerie to a battle using his Bagon against Spritzee. Unfortunately, they lost the battle against the Gym Leader. And just as she did before with her Sylveon, Valerie talks to her Spritzee.

"Spritz spritzee." Valerie says

"Spritz spritz spritzee!" Spritzee says agreeingly

"Pika." Pikachu says determined

"We saw Spritzee's Dazzling Gleam yesterday, but we still don't know about it's other moves." Ash says

"Are you ready, Ash? It's your move again!" Valerie says

"You heard her. Fletchinder, let's go!" Ash says

"Fletchinder!" Fletchinder says

"Fletchinder, use Steel Wing!" Ash commands

Fletchinder flies forward at Spritzee, hardening it's wings as it prepared to strike.

"Fletch-in-der!"

Just as Fletchinder closed in on Spritzee, the small bird-like Pokemon flies upward, dodging the attack.

"Now use Trick Room!" Valerie commands

"Spritzee!"

Spritzee glows with a bright blue light, creating a large, square, bizarre area around itself and Fletchinder, which takes up almost the entire arena.

"Trick Room. Whoa!" Ash says

Valerie chuckles as she had a trick up her sleeve. Fletchinder looks around at the warped space, seemingly nervous and confused as to the change.

"Calm down." Ash says

Fletchinder looks back at Ash.

"You've got to stay cool, okay?" Ash says

Fletchinder nods it's head in understanding and turns back to the battle at hand.

Valerie chuckles.

"Surprised you, didn't we?" Valerie says

"Valerie's using Trick Room." Linnea says

"If so, that can only mean one thing..." Blossom says

"Valerie's totally serious about this battle!" Katherine says thrusting her left-arm into the air

"I've never seen this before. So this is what they call Trick Room." Sawyer says

"Hey, is this a Fairy-type move?" Bonnie asks looking left at Clemont

"It's a Psychic-type move. And quite a troublesome one at that." Clemont says

Down in the arena, Pikachu looks up at Ash, wondering what he would plan to do next.

"Pika pika." Pikachu says feeling concerned

"Okay, Fletchinder, speed it up! Now, use Flame Charge!" Ash commands

"Ash, no!" Clemont says

"Huh?" Serena says

The group watches as Fletchinder flies toward Spritzee with it's Flame Charge, but they notice that it was moving very slow.

"Hey, what's going on?" Serena asks

"It's not going any faster." Sawyer says

"Normally, Flame Charge is a move that will increase it's user's speed, but the challenge is when Trick Room is being used, the faster a Pokémon goes, the slower it actually is." Clemont explains

"So Ash called it not knowing that?" Serena asks

"But what are they gonna do now?" Bonnie asks

Spritzee easily dodges Fletchinder's Flame Charge, shifting from side to side while the sparrow-like Pokémon makes several attempts to hit it.

"It's dodging everything." Serena says

"Trick Room creates a mysterious space. So even though Spritzee's normally slower than Fletchinder, does it turn into the faster Pokémon in Trick Room?" Sawyer says

"That's right." Clemont says

"One more time! Use Flame Charge!" Ash commands

"Fletch-in-der!"

Fletchinder flies toward Spritzee with it's attack until Valerie makes her move.

"Use Dazzling Gleam!" Valerie commands

"Spritzee!"

Spritzee emits a powerful flash of light, which hurls Fletchinder back, sending it crashing up into the top of the warped space.

"Fletchinder, no!" Ash exclaims

"Well, well, finished already?" Valerie says

Refusing to give in, Ash orders Fletchinder to continue it's attack.

"Use Flame Charge!" Ash commands

Serena looks on in shock. Did Ash really tell Fletchinder to use Flame Charge after what they just saw?

"Again?" Serena says shocked

Fletchinder flies forward at Spritzee with it's flaming attack, but the small bird flies upward, dodging the attack.

"Gyro Ball!" Valerie commands

Spritzee curls up in a ball and propels itself forward at Fletchinder.

"We're not done yet! Flame Charge!" Ash says

Fletchinder loops around to hit Spritzee, but it misses as Spritzee flies upward and down on Fletchinder, smashing it into the ground.

"Ugh!" Ash grunts

"What in the world could Ash be thinking?" Sawyer asks

"I'll bet you that he's got a strategy." Clemont says

"Huh?" Everyone says looking at Clemont

"It better be a good one. Fletchinder doesn't seem to be doing too good." Draxon says

The group looks back at the continuing battle as Fletchinder was down on the ground, struggling to rise up on it's feet and get back into the fight.

"I know you can do it! Hang in there!" Ash says

"Fletchinder!" Fletchinder says in acknowledgement

"Do your best and keep using Flame Charge, go!" Ash commands

"Fletchinder!"

Fletchinder flies forward at Spritzee with it's Flame Charge, following it's trainer's orders. Valerie stares at Ash, taking notice of the determined look on his face. She could tell that he was up to something.

"I wonder what trick he's got up his sleeve. Use Dazzling Gleam!" Valerie says

"Spritzee!"

Spritzee unleashes another brilliant flash of light, which knocks Fletchinder back, but not enough to cancel out it's attack. Fletchinder attempts to ram into Spritzee with it's Flame Charge, but the small bird flies out of the way, moving up, down, and over to the sides.

"It's like Fletchinder's getting slower on purpose." Sawyer says

Ash watches as Fletchinder continues to attack Spritzee only to miss over and over again.

"Hang in there, Fletchinder! We'll get our chance!" Ash says in his thoughts

Eventually, the Trick Room wears off and disappears.

"Dear. We're out of time." Valerie says

A smirk came upon Ash's face the moment he saw Trick Room vanish. His persistence had paid off.

"Ha-ha. Fletchinder, use Steel Wing!" Ash commands

"Huh?" Everyone says surprised

"Of course! Now, I understand what Ash is up to. He kept on using Flame Charge so Fletchinder could attack at a high speed as soon as Trick Room disappeared." Clemont says

"He was biding his time." Draxon says

"Ash planned it?" Sawyer asks

Fletchinder homes in on Spritzee and slams into it with it's steel-hardened wings, inflicting a great deal of damage.

"Alright!" Ash says feeling excited

"Not so fast!" Valerie says

"Huh?" Ash says feeling confused

"Moonblast!" Valerie commands

Spritzee charges up with lunar energy and converts it into a pink pulsing orb.

"Spritzzzzzeeee!"

With it's attack fully charged, Spritzee shoots it's Moonblast at Fletchinder. The lunar blast hits Fletchinder with a precise shot and it explodes on impact, creating a thick cloud of smoke. Fletchinder falls out of the smoke cloud and crashes onto the ground defeated.

"Fletchinder, no!" Ash cries out

Fletchinder..." Fletchinder says in pain

"Fletchinder is unable to battle! The winner is Spritzee!" Kali announces

"Yay!" Katherine, Blossom, and Linnea cheer in unison

"Pika pika." Pikachu says feeling concerned

"Ugh!" Ash grunts

"Thank you. But I must say your multiple Flame Charges were a good idea. It's been a while since I've been surprised like that." Valerie says

"That Moonblast. That was another dangerous hidden fang." Sawyer says

"Ash took much too long. And he paid a heavy price for doing that." Clemont says

"So now both sides are down to their last Pokemon." Draxon says

Ash takes out his Pokéball and aims it at Fletchinder.

"Fletchinder, return!" Ash says

The Pokéball shoots it's red beam at Fletchinder, transporting it back inside. Ash looks down at the Pokéball. Although Fletchinder had lost against Spritzee, he still felt proud that it fought hard to get him this far having beaten Valerie's Sylveon.

"Get lots of rest." Ash says smiling down at the Pokéball

"So how is Ash going to win this, huh?" Sawyer asks

Pikachu was wondering the same thing as the electric mouse looked up at it's trainer.

"Pika pi." Pikachu says concerned

Ash closes his eyes, thinking on what Pokémon he should use next. It wasn't long before he made his decision.

"Hawlucha! I choose you!" Ash says

Ash hurls another Pokéball into the air, releasing Hawlucha into the arena.

"Lucha!"

Hawlucha drops down from the air and assumes it's poses, ready for battle. Valerie chuckles as she was amused by Hawlucha's fighting spirit.

"My, my. Quite an amusing Pokémon." Valerie says

"Okay, Hawlucha's a Fighting and a Flying-type. But Fighting-type moves aren't very effective against Spritzee." Sawyer says

"But Ash chose Hawlucha anyway." Serena says

"Something tells me he's got another strategy." Draxon says

"Let's see what Ash has in mind." Clemont says

"You can do it, Hawlucha!" Bonnie cheers

"Hawlucha! Cha!" Hawlucha says doing more poses for Bonnie

"I'm counting on you, okay?" Ash says

Hawlucha looks back at Ash and nods at him.

"Chalu!" Hawlucha says determined

"Now, use Karate Chop!" Ash commands

Hawlucha raises it's right-arm causing it to glow with a white light. It then charges at Spritzee, running across the arena.

"Use Trick Room!" Valerie commands

Spritzee flies up into the air, dodging Hawlucha's attack as it brought down it's Karate Chop.

"Spriiiiitzeeee!"

Spritzee glows with a blue light, creating Trick Room again as the warped space pixels itself around the arena.

"Huh? They're using it again?" Sawyer says surprised

Hawlucha is startled by the sudden change in the arena and it looks around nervous.

"Hawlucha! Just relax! This is the ring for today!" Ash says

Hearing it's trainer's words, Hawlucha regains it's confidence and nods it's head back at Ash.

"Hawlu! Lucha!" Hawlucha says

"Looks like somebody's having fun. We want you to enjoy yourselves. Use Moonblast!" Valerie says

"Spritzzzzzeeee!"

Spritzee conjures up another pink orb of lunar energy and shoots it at Hawlucha.

"Cha!" Hawlucha grunts in pain

Hawlucha takes a direct hit from the Moonblast and was sent flying into the transparent wall. The Wrestler Pokémon slides down the wall and collapses onto the ground.

"Ugh!" Ash grunts

"Pika!" Pikachu says concerned for Hawlucha

"What power!" Clemont says

Hawlucha got back up on it's feet and recovers from the attack.

"Hacha. Hawlucha." Hawlucha says with a confident smile on it's face looking back at Ash

"Yup. It's strong." Ash says

"My! You can talk to your Pokémon too, right?" Valerie asks

"Not really talking. It's more like I can sense what they mean. I just kind of know." Ash says

"Pika pika." Pikachu says in agreement

"Hawlucha." Hawlucha says in agreement

Draxon gasped and his eyes widened in surprise when he heard Ash say that. To sense and know what Pokémon were saying. It was almost like the same thing he did with Mew. The young teen looked over at Mew while it looked back at him. The two then focused back on the battle unfolding infront of them.

"You have much promise." Valerie says

Focusing back on the battle, Ash makes his move.

"Hawlucha, use X-Scissior!" Ash commands

Hawlucha runs toward Spritzee with it's hands glowing blue and spread out. The Wrestling Pokémon lunges at the small bird with it's attack only to miss and hit the side of the Trick Room.

"What did he do that for? Of course Bug-type moves are not effective against Spritzee." Sawyer asks

As Ash kept his eye on Hawlucha, he noticed something when his Pokémon moved away.

"Huh?" Ash says

Draxon saw it too from the stands as did Mew. The X-Scissor did miss Spritzee, but it did hit the Trick Room, creating a ripple in it's side. Observing the ripple in the Trick Room gave Ash an idea as a smirk formed on his face. Valerie noticed the change in Ash's expression and she could tell he was formulating another strategy.

"There he goes. I can tell Ash is up to something again." Valerie says

Ash had thought that the Trick Room was unbreakable. But if the Trick Room was indeed susceptible to damage, then perhaps there was a way to bring it down. With this in mind, Ash calls out to Hawlucha.

"Hawlucha! Taking on your opponents moves head-on is your battling style! Watch Spritzee closely and stay on it's tail!" Ash says

"He's such an interesting boy. So let's see what he's planning. Use Gyro Ball!" Valerie says

"Sprrrrritzee!"

Spritzee flies toward Hawlucha and was homing in on it, but Hawlucha braced itself.

"Hawlucha, catch that!" Ash commands

Hawlucha catches Spritzee in it's hands, but was sent up into the air along with it. Valerie saw this and she was caught by surprise once again.

"Huh?" Valerie says

"Alright! Hawlucha, use that speed!" Ash says

Hawlucha lets go of the small bird and jumps off the side the wall.

"Huh?" Valerie says

"Wow!" Sawyer says

"Hawlucha's using the spin from the Gyro Ball! Talking about thinking on your feet!" Clemont says

"Very nice." Valerie says impressed

"Spin, Hawlucha! Use X-Scissor!" Ash commands

Hawlucha spins around like a drill, heading straight for Spritzee.

"Don't underestimate us! Dazzling Gleam!" Valerie says

Spritzee emits a bright flash of light to counter-attack, but Ash makes his next move.

"Cut right through that Dazzling Gleam!" Ash commands

"Huh!" Valerie says

Powered by the spinning, Hawlucha goes through Dazzling Gleam and smashes into Spritzee. The two Pokemon then smash into the wall of the Trick Room, causing it to crack and shatter.

"Alright!" Ash says feeling excited

"Pika!" Pikachu says happily

The group in the stands stared out in amazement as the shattered remnants of Trick Room fell from the air and disappear.

"Never seen that before. What an awesome X-Scissor." Sawyer says

"They broke through..." Serena says

"Trick Room!" Clemont finishes

"You did it, Hawlucha!" Ash says

"Unbelievable." Valerie says

"How was Ash able to do that?" Draxon asks

"Even if a Bug-type move like X-Scissor isn't effective against a Fairy-type, it is effective against Trick Room, which is a Psychic-type move. And that's the chance Ash took!" Clemont says

"Ash is amazing." Sawyer says

"That's his battling style, alright." Serena says smiling

"We never know what Ash is gonna come up with next." Bonnie says

"Ne-ne." Dedenne says in agreement

"I wonder if I can do that too?" Sawyer asks

Down in the arena, Ash spoke to Valerie, catching the attention of his friends.

"I wanted to destroy that Trick Room with X-Scissor. And that's just what I did." Ash says

"You're great at communicating with your Pokémon. You and Hawlucha are a perfect match." Valerie says

"Spritzee... Spritzee..." Spritzee says feeling tired

"Spritzee, let's do this!" Valerie says

"Okay! Now, use Flying Press!" Ash commands

Hawlucha jumps up into the air and dives down on Spritzee with a body slam. Spritzee was sent flying backwards, but it recovered from theh attack.

"Spritzee, don't let it get too close! Moonblast!" Valerie says

"Spriiiiitzee!"

Spritzee conjures up it's Moonblast and launches it at Hawlucha.

"Dodge it, quick!" Ash commands

Hawlucha leaps over to the left, dodging the Moonblast.

"Now, High Jump Kick!" Ash commands

Closing in on Spritzee, Hawlucha leaps up at the small bird Pokémon and strikes with it's High Jump Kick, sending it flying up into the ceiling. Spritzee falls to the ground and was defeated.

"Spritzee is unable to battle! Hawlucha is the winner! So the victor is Ash of Pallet Town!" Kali announces

"Alright!" Ash says thrusting his right-arm into the air in victory

"Pikachu!" Pikachu says happily

"Hawlucha!" Hawlucha says also happy

Hawlucha jumps up into Ash's arms and hugs him, knocking him down to the ground.

"Hawlucha, that was great!" Ash says

"Pika!" Pikachu says happily

The Furisode Girls looked on with upset expressions. They had hoped that Valerie would win with Spritzee, but it would seem that Ash had outsmarted her.

"I just can't believe Valerie lost." Blossom says

"I haven't seen that in so long." Linnea says

Valerie walks over to Spritzee and lowers down to it.

"Spritzee? Spritz spritz spritzee?" Valerie says

"Spritz spritzee." Spritzee says

"You gave it your best effort. I'm so very proud of you and Sylveon as well." Valerie says

Valerie takes out Spritzee's Pokéball and she beams it back inside. She then looks up at Ash.

"That was truly well done. I haven't been that inspired in a while." Valerie says

With the battle now over, the group heads down to congratulate Ash on his triumph.

"Ash, you did it!" Serena says

"Yay!" Bonnie cheers

"What an amazing battle. I'll be sure to make a note of this experience!" Sawyer says

"Treecko." Treecko says in agreement

( _Moments later_ )

All of Ash and Valerie's Pokémon used in the Gym Battle were fully healed and recovered and everyone gathered for the celebration. Valerie walks up to Ash and speaks to him.

"Ash, you know how a Trainer's heart becomes one with their Pokémon when they're backed into a corner during a battle. I'm wondering. Why is that?" Valerie says

Ash looks down at his Pokémon and puts his right-hand to his chin.

"I'm not really sure." Ash says

He then looks back up at Valerie.

"But I do know what you mean." Ash says

Valerie chuckles. Kali walks over to the Gym Leader with the Gym badge in her hands. Valerie takes the badge and presents it to Ash as his reward.

"Here is proof that you won at the Laverre Gym. I present you with the Fairy Badge. Congratulations." Valerie says

"Thank you very much!" Ash says

Ash takes the badge and holds it in his palm. He felt happy and excited at his accomplishment.

"We did it! We got the Fairy Badge!" Ash says holding the Fairy Badge out in victory

"Pika pikachu!" Pikachu says proud of their victory

Ash places the gym badge in his case which contained his other six gym badges from his previous victories and closes it.

"That's wonderful, Ash!" Serena says

"Fletchinder and Hawlucha battled really hard." Bonnie says

"And you also learned a brand-new battling strategy! The Trick Room Breaker!" Clemont says

Draxon walks up to Ash and gave him a pat on the left-shoulder.

"Congrats on your victory, Ash. You sure trained your Pokémon well. I look forward to seeing your next battle." Draxon says

"Thanks, Draxon." Ash says

"Wow, Ash. You were so cool! I really want to be able to battle just like you I've got to know how you can battle like that. You've got to teach me!" Sawyer says getting up in Ash's face

"Uh, not sure how to explain that." Ash says

Valerie chuckles.

"What are you thinking about when you're battling? Does Pikachu give you somekind of advice, or something?" Sawyer asks

"It'll be easier to explain with a battle." Ash says

"Yes!" Sawyer says feeling excited

Suddenly, the whole Gym begins to rumble and shake violently, ruining the moment and catching everyone by surprise.

"Oh, my! What was that?" Valerie asks

"It sounded like it came from outside!" Clemont says

The humans and Pokémon looked back at the exit of the arena. Draxon had a very vague suspiscion as to what it was. Undoubtedly it was the Heartless attacking the gym.

"That would be the other reason why I'm here!" Draxon says

Draxon stretches his right-hand out to his side and he summons his Keyblade: Soul Calibur in a flash of blue light. Sawyer, Valerie, and the Furisode Girls were very amazed and surprised seeing Draxon's Keyblade.

"Wow." Sawyer says

"Treecko." Treecko says in amazement

 _"So, that's a Keyblade. It's incredible."_ Valerie says in her thoughts

Draxon looks left at Mew.

"Mew, let's go!" Draxon says

"Mew!" Mew says nodding in agreement

Wanting to get outside, Draxon rushes for the exit with Mew following close behind while Ash and the others all watched him go.

"Draxon! Wait!" Ash calls out

"Pika!" Pikachu calls out

Ash and his friends rushed to catch up with Draxon as they headed out of the arena. Valerie, her two Pokémon, and the Furisode Girls followed them shortly after.

( _Moments later_ )

Draxon and Mew make it outside and were greeted a large group of Heartless, which consisted of Chomper Eggs, Spear Lizards, Chief Puffs, and Bizarre Archers. Draxon tightened the grip he had on his Keyblade and got into battle stance with Mew floating over on his left-side.

One of the Chomper Eggs launches a fireball from it's mouth at the two heroes, but they immediately jump out of the way. Another Chomper Egg shoots a fireball at Draxon. The young teen rolls over to the right, gets up on one knee, and hurls his crystal Keyblade at the Heartless. Guided by the wind, Soul Calibur spins through the air, homing in on the two Chomper Eggs. The Keyblade slices through both Heartless, then it loops back around and cuts through three more Chomper Eggs.

Three Bizarre Archers fire an arrow at Draxon while he was still crouched on the ground. Draxon looks over to his left and saw the arrows flying in his direction. But before he could react, Mew quickly flies up infront of him and uses it's Barrier, encasing the young teen and itself inside it's pink bubble shield.

Ash, Serena, Bonnie, Clemont, Valerie, the Furisode Girls, and the Pokémon were able to get outside just in time to watch Draxon and Mew fight the Heartless.

"Ah, Heartless!" Ash exclaims

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaims

"Those are Heartless?" Sawyer asks

"Yeah. That's them." Ash says

"But what are they doing here?" Serena asks

"It seems like they were trying to get into the gym." Clemont says

"There's so many of them." Bonnie says

The group watched as the barrier that shielded Draxon and Mew disappear. Draxon rose up onto his feet while Mew glowed with light, transforming into a Charizard. The orange dragon let out a mighty roar, releasing a stream of flames from it's mouth.

"Whoa! Mew transformed into a Charizard!" Sawyer says in amazement

Charizard builds up fire in it's mouth and shoots a powerful fire blast at the Heartless. The fire blast lands a direct hit to a Bizarre Archer and it explodes on impact, blasting it and four other Bizarre Archers into oblivion. A Chomper Egg shoots a fireball at Charizard, attacking it from the side. The Flame Pokémon looks over to it's left and saw the incoming projectile. Reacting quickly, Charizard brought it's wings infront of it's body, shielding itself from the fireball. The attack hardly did any sort of damage since Charizard was a Fire-type Pokémon. Unfurling it's wings, the orange dragon looks up at the Chomper Egg responsible for the attack and roars at it. It's wings started to glow with blue light as it prepared to use it's next attack. Charizard soon flapped it's wings, launching crescent-shaped blades of wind at the Heartless. Each of the wind blades cuts through four Chomper Eggs.

"That was Air Slash!" Clemont says

After watching Charizard deal with it's set of Heartless, Ash and the others looked towards Draxon to see he was up against three Spear Lizards.

The Spear Lizards rush toward Draxon and attack all at once. One of the Spear Lizards swings it's bony fish-like spear at Draxon, but he leans away and counters with a left slash, cutting it down. He then strikes down the second Heartless with a downward slash, slamming his Keyblade down on it's head. The third Spear Lizard lunges it's spear at Draxon, aiming for his head. The young teen leans his body over to the left, dodges the spear, and knocks it away with right swing from his Keyblade. He then delivers a reverse roundhouse kick to the Spear Lizard's head, causing it to spin around. The Heartless stumbles around dizzily after recieving the kick. From there, Draxon sweeps the Heartless off it's feet with a low swing from his Keyblade and finishes it off by slamming the Keyblade down on it's body.

Ash and his friends were amazed at how well Draxon and Charizard were fighting against the Heartless. Even Valerie and the Furisode Girls were amazed.

"Oh, man. Draxon's awesome. He's mopping the floor with those Heartless." Ash says

"Pikachu!" Pikachu says in agreement

"Yeah. Look at them go." Serena says

Valerie had her eyes fixed on Draxon throughout the whole battle and she watched as the Heartless fell one by one to his power. She had heard tales of the Keyblade and it's power over Light and Darkness, but to actually see Draxon, a Keyblade Wielder in action was truly awe-inspiring.

A Chief Puff spins it's leaf-like arms around and it spins it's way towards Draxon. The young teen braces himself as the Heartless drew closer to him. Draxon soon jumps up over the Chief Puff with a somersault, dodging it's spin attack. He lands and turns to face the Heartless. The Chief Puff loops around and spins toward Draxon again. The young teen holds out his crystal Keyblade infront of him as he conjured up a magic attack. Gusts of silver wind began swirling around Draxon and a bright white aura appears on his body as he channels the Keyblade's ancient magic through him. Targeting the Heartless infront of him, Draxon swings his Keyblade with a right slash, sending a strong gust of wind at the Chief Puff. The wind blows away all the white fluff on the Chief Puff's head, leaving it stunned and dazed. Seizing this chance, Draxon rushes up to the Heartless with a dashing slide and he cuts it up with four quick slashes, swinging his Keyblade with a right-upward slash, a left slash, a right slash, and finishes it off with overhead slash, slicing the Chief Puff vertically in half, causing it to disappear.

Another Chief Puff performed a smiliar spin attack with it's leaf arms, charging at Charizard. The Flame Pokémon stood it's ground as the Heartless closed in. As soon as it was in reach, Charizard uses it's Flamethrower move, unleashing a stream of flames upon the Heartless, sending it's cottonball head ablaze. The white fluff on the Chief Puff's head was soon reduced to ashes, leaving the Heartless completely bald. Then, Charizard uses Dragon Tail to swat the Heartless away with it's tail coated in a green-scaled aura.

Draxon turns and faces the rest of the remaining Heartless, which were Spear Lizards, Chomper Eggs, and Bizarre Archers. He raises his Keyblade above his head and light shines from the tip of Soul Calibur as he calls on the wind. A powerful vortex of silver wind appears over the Heartless and it sucks them all up and sends them flying in all directions. Three Spear Lizards were sent flying towards Ash and his friends.

"Watch out!" Clemont exclaims

The Trainers and Pokémon all quickly duck down as the Heartless flew over them and crash into the side of the gym. They glance back at where the Heartless crashed and then they look back at Draxon. All of the Heartless in the area were defeated. The young teen lowers his crystal Keyblade back down to his right-side. Then, both he and Charizard glance back toward their friends and they gave them a smile and a left-thumbs up.

Suddenly, the moment was interrupted by the appearance of another Heartless and this one was large. It appeared to be a three-headed snake with a body covered in thorns. The size of the Heartless was about half the size of the gym. It was their target: a Thorned Snake. The snake-like Heartless reared it's head back and let out a loud screech at the heroes.

"What is that?!" Sawyer asks shocked

"Ah! It's another Heartless!" Clemont exclaims

"Whoa... This one is really big." Serena says stunned by the size of the Thorned Snake

"It may look tough, but Draxon can take it!" Ash says

Ash glances over at his friends.

"You guys have been there cheering for me. Now, it's our turn to cheer for Draxon." Ash says

Ash and Pikachu turns back to the fight unfolding infront of them and they started to cheer for Draxon.

"You got this, Draxon! Show that Heartless who's boss!" Ash cheers

"Pika pika!" Pikachu cheers

The rest of Ash's friends started to cheer as well.

"You can do it, Draxon!" Serena cheers

"We believe in you!" Clemont cheers

"Yeah! Go, Draxon!" Bonnie cheers

"De-ne-ne!" Dedenne cheers

Draxon glances back at his friends, hearing their encouragement. He gives them a quick nod, then turns back to the fight at hand.

The Thorned Snake starts the battle by opening it's mouth and spewing a stream of purple, toxic venom at the two heroes. Draxon and Charizard both dodge the poison attack with Draxon leaping away to the right with a sideways somersault while Charizard jumped over to the left. Draxon rushes up to the seprentine Heartless and he strikes it's head with a reverse roundhouse slash. He follows up with a left slash, an uppercut slash, a downward slash, two spinning slashes going left and right, and a roundhouse slash. The Thorned Snake lunges it's center head at Draxon in an attempt to bite him, but he leaps away, dodging it's fangs.

Charizard flies in at the Thorned Snake and lashes out at it with it's sharp claws. Then, the orange dragon uses Flamethrower, hitting the Heartless with a stream of flames, inflicting a ton of fire damage. The Thorned Snake lunges it's center head at Charizard, but the Flame Pokémon leans it's body over to the right and counters the attack with Dragon Tail, slamming it's tail into it's head. The serpentine Heartless opens it's mouth, revealing a glob of poison in it's mouth. Charizard saw this and it immediately jumped back just as the Thorned Snake spewed the poison over where it once stood.

The Thorned Snake glances over at Charizard and with it's mouth still open, it shoots multiple violet poison needles in it's direction. Draxon quickly moves infront of the orange dragon, takes his crystal Keyblade, and spins it infront of him like a pinwheel using his right-hand, deflecting the poison needles away. He then rushes at the serpentine Heartless with a sliding dash and strikes it with an upward and downward slash. One of the smaller heads on the Thorned Snake lunges at Draxon with it's poison fangs, but he leans over to the left and counters the attack with a quick right slash, knocking the small head away. The other head lunges at Draxon, but he leans away and counters with a left slash. He then strikes the center head with a backflip slash, landing a strong hit under it's chin. Draxon flips himself upright in the air and comes back down on the Thorned Snake, slamming his crystal Keyblade down on it's head with an overhead strike. The serpent-like Heartless lunges at Draxon with it's fangs, but the young teen leaps a good feet away and avoids getting bitten.

Draxon comes back at the Thorned Snake with a leaping strike, swinging his Keyblade with a left-angled slash. He follows up with a right slash, a left-upward slash, a downward slash, another right slash, and a reverse roundhouse slash. The serpent-like Heartless envelopes it's tail in a violet aura of poison and swings it at Draxon. The young teen quickly ducks down, dodging the poisonous tail as it swoops over his head. The Thorned Snake swings it's poison-coated tail at Draxon again, but this time he jumps over it with a somersault. Draxon strikes the serpentine Heartless with a right slash at it's chest, but the Thorned Snake manages to knock him away by ramming it's large head into his stomach, sending him back a good feet away.

"Gah!" Draxon yells in pain

Ash and his friends all gasped in shock when they saw Draxon get knocked back by the Heartless. Even Valerie and the Furisode Girls were shocked. The young teen flew past Charizard and eventually slides to a stop. He fell down on one knee, feeling the wind knocked out of his body. He took a big breath, sucking in a lot of air, then let it all out with a pained sigh. Charizard rushes over to Draxon, offering support. It took a while for the Keyblade Wielder to recover from the sudden blow. Once he caught his breath, Draxon glanced up at the Thorned Snake. Then, he looked back to see his friends staring at him with worried expressions. He gave them a smile and a nod, assuring them that he was okay. He then looks up at Charizard, who was on his left, and nods at it, letting it know he was okay. Draxon rises up onto his feet and stares back at the Thorned Snake, narrowing his eyes and gripping his Keyblade tightly.

Draxon raises his crystal Keyblade high above his head and powers it up with pure energy. Soul Calibur shines brightly with it's benevolent light, creating a dazzling display that illuminates the whole area. Ash, Pikachu, Serena, Clemont, Bonnie, Sawyer, Valerie, the Furisode Girls, and their Pokémon were all astounded by the sight of the Keyblade's incredible power.

In that moment, Draxon rushes forward at the Thorned Snake with the glowing Keyblade in his hands. When he closed distance, the Thorned Snake lunges at him with it's fangs in a last ditch effort to bite him, but he leans his body over to the right and he drives Soul Calibur straight into it's body, right where the Heartless emblem was, delivering the finishing blow. He plunged his Keyblade deep in the Thorned Snake's body until it's tip emerged out of it's back. The Thorned Snake froze as it felt the devastating blow. Draxon removed his Keyblade from the Thorned Snake's body, stepped back, and watched as the Heartless recoiled. The dark serpent writhed and flailed it's head and body around in agonizing pain, screeching loudly. Eventually, the serpentine Heartless falls backwards and crashes onto the ground with a loud thud. Blue flames consumed the Thorned Snake until it disintegrated in a flash of light. It's captive heart was released and was sent floating up into the sky. The group watched as the heart rose up in the sky until it soon faded away, returning to Kingdom Hearts.

With the fight now finished, Draxon de-summons his Keyblade while Charizard reverts back into Mew. They turned to Ash and his friends as they approached them. Suddenly, the Keyblade Wielder winced in pain and he placed his right-hand over his stomach. Mew looks over at Draxon with a concerned expression. This also caught the attention of Ash and his friends.

"Draxon, are you alright?" Serena asks feeling concerned

"Yeah. I'm fine." Draxon says waving his left-hand

"Are you sure? It looked like that Heartless hit you real hard with that last attack." Clemont says

"Nah. It just caught me by surprise that's all." Draxon says

"Well, you and Mew were awesome out there, Draxon. Those moves you did were so cool." Ash says

"Pikachu." Pikachu says in agreement

"Thanks, Ash, Pikachu." Draxon says smiling

"Excuse me." A female voice says

Valerie and her Pokémon approached the group, specifically Draxon, wanting to talk to him.

"Your name wouldn't happen to be Draxon, would it?" Valerie asks

"Yeah?" Draxon says

"I've heard much about you and what you did back in Lumiose City. You saved all those people and the Pokémon from those dark creatures. And your powers with the Keyblade are incredible. Watching you fight was truly inspirational. You are certainly a remarkable person, Draxon. Thank you for saving my gym." Valerie says

Draxon nods his head and smiles.

"No problem at all, Valerie. Just doing my duty." Draxon says with a right thumbs up

Valerie chuckles. The Gym Leader looks over at Mew with a curious expression while the small Pokémon stares back at her with the same curious look, cocking it's head slightly to the left.

"Mew?" Mew says

"So this is Mew. Is Mew your Pokémon, Draxon?" Valerie says

"You could say that. I met Mew back in Santalune Forest while I was dealing with the Heartless." Draxon says

Draxon looks left at Mew.

"After that, we became best friends." Draxon says

"Mew!" Mew says happily

Valerie chuckles after seeing the happy look on Mew's face.

"I can tell the two of you are very close. The way you both fight together shows how strong your bond is. As I've told Ash, the hearts of Trainers and Pokémon become one when they stand together. I'm sure it's the same way for you and Mew, Draxon." Valerie says

Draxon and Mew share glances with each other, wondering if what Valerie said was true. The two of them have been fighting alongside each other against the Heartless for a while and they did have a very strong bond. It was almost like destiny had brought them together. Considering all the facts, it certaintly must be true. Draxon and Mew both smiled. And seeing their expressions made Ash, Pikachu, Serena, Clemont, Bonnie, Sawyer, and Valerie smile as well.

"So, Ash, where will you be headed for next?" Valerie asks

"I haven't really thought that far ahead. But I'm sure I'll figure it out along the way." Ash says

"Well then, I wish you and your Pokémon the best of luck on your journey." Valerie says

Valerie looks over at Draxon and Mew.

"And what about you, Draxon? I'm sure you have your own journey. Where will you go?" Valerie asks

"Me? I do have other places to be, but I think I can hang around with Ash and his friends for just a little while longer. Just in case anymore Heartless are lingering around." Draxon says

Ash, Pikachu, Serena, Clemont, Bonnie, and Sawyer smiled upon hearing that.

"Alright. Then, let's get going." Ash says

With that said, the heroes set off while Valerie and the Furisode Girls bid them farewell.

"Take care! Good luck!" Valerie says

The group wave back at Valerie and they continue onward through Laverre City.

( _Moments later_ )

After leaving the gym, the group made their way through the streets, looking for someplace to settle down and relax. They were soon crossing a wooden arch bridge over a small stream. Sawyer was analyzing his notes on Ash's Gym Battle, looking over every detail he recorded.

"So that's what it takes to win a battle. Being able to think on your feet. Alright! And then, one of these days, I'll..." Sawyer says

Suddenly, Sawyer trips on a loose plank in the wooden bridge, causing him to fall over. The group looks back in shock having heard Sawyer fell.

"Are you okay?" Serena asks concerned

Sawyer got up and stood on all fours.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I guess I wasn't looking." Sawyer says rubbing his head

Sawyer takes his notebook and goes to place it in his shirt pocket, but he actually misses and it falls to the ground.

"You need to keep your eyes on where you're going." Clemont says

"I know. I'll be careful." Sawyer says

The group continues onward with their trek, unaware that Saywer's notebook had been left behind. As soon as the heroes were gone, the book was picked up by Team Rocket, specifically by Meowth.

"Lookie what I found." Meowth says

"What? Tell us." Jessie says

"Or perhaps we'd better take it to Officer Jenny!" James says

"Yeah, like that's gonna happen." Meowth says with an unamused look

"So, taking a peek is what's going to happen instead." Jessie says

Meowth opens the notebook and flips through the pages.

"Maybe it's a step-by-step map on the road to riches." Meowth says

Meowth soon finds a photo of Steven Stone in the book.

"Eh?" Meowth says

"Oh, my, so handsome." Jessie says

"Wow! It's a picture of none other than Steven Stone!" James says leaning in

"Hm?" Jessie says

"Steven Stone? No way." Meowth says

"Right! He's the strongest Trainer in Hoenn. He's the Champion." James says

"The Champion?" Jessie and Meowth ask looking at each other

( _Meanwhile_ )

Elsewhere in Laverre City, the group stop by on a road and have a lunch break. On the table was a nice spread of sweets such as strawberries and cake, and Poké Puffs for the Pokémon courtesy of Serena.

"Ta-da! They're my homemade sweet treats and Poké Puffs! After a battle, it's teatime!" Serena says

"Looks delish!" Sawyer says

Sawyer and Treecko both take a bite out of their food and they were amazed by the taste.

"Wow! It's great!" Sawyer says with stars in his eyes

"Thank you! Eat all you want." Serena says

Draxon had himself a plate of chocolate cake while Mew ate a chocolate Poké Puff. As soon as it took a bite of it's food, Mew was astounded by it's taste and it flew around cheerfully, performing spins and loops.

"Mew! Mew mew!" Mew says happily

"Wow. You really like that, huh, Mew?" Draxon says

"Mew!" Mew says happily

Draxon chuckles.

"I guess Mew really likes my Poké Puffs." Serena says

"Yeah. And this cake is good, too." Draxon says pointing to the cake with his fork

"I'm glad you like it, Draxon." Serena says

"Yum, there's nothing like a great desert. All I have to do is eat enough of this and I'll become a powerful Trainer like Ash." Sawyer says

"Huh?" Ash says

"Yeah. You were amazing. It didn't matter what kind of situation came up. It had to be victory and nothing else. Now I know what I need to do to win a Gym Badge! I learned so much from watching you! And I wrote it all down so I wouldn't forget a thing." Sawyer says

"Wow. Thanks a lot. Actually, it's the Pokémon who totally deserves to get all the credit. That means a badge is proof that everyone worked really hard." Ash says

"You know, you're so right. I'll make a note of it." Sawyer says

"You don't need a note for that." Ash says

Sawyer reaches his shirt pocket for his notebook, but he is shocked when he can't feel it inside. His face nearly turned pale.

"What's wrong, Sawyer?" Clemont asks

"It's-It's gone." Sawyer says

"Uh, what's gone?" Serena asks

"What did you lose?" Bonnie asks

"My battle notebook is gone!" Sawyer exclaims

Everyone gasps in shock.

"I wrote down everything I've seen on my journey! And it's in that notebook!" Sawyer says

As he goes through his person trying to find his notebook, Sawyer remembers when he fell on the bridge and he soon realized.

"Maybe I lost it when I fell." Sawyer says

( _Meanwhile_ )

In another part of Laverre City, Jessie, James, and Meowth were in a small park, looking over the picture of Steven Stone.

"And here he is. The Champion, Steven Stone! Working with his partner, Metagross, Steven's the strongest of all Trainers in the Hoenn Region. And if that's not enough, he's also heir to the Devon Corporation, Hoenn's largest company!" James says

"I like the sound of that! A quiet little wedding and I'll be set." Jessie says with hearts in her eyes

"So that means Champion Butterfingers dropped this by mistake." Meowth says

"But where?! Where is that charming Champion?!" Jessie asks wildly

"Finding this was a stroke of luck. We can learn every one of the Champion's secrets to raising the strongest Pokémon ever!" James says

"No! Being an heir is the most important thing." Jessie says knocking James and Meowth over

Jessie began picturing herself with Steven wearing a sparkling wedding dress while he wore a white tuxedo.

"If I can find the Champion, I can marry into mounds of money!" Jessie says

"Don't be a fool!" James says

"We don't need a marriage, dig?" Meowth says

"Look. We'll learn the Champion's secret training techniques and control the whole world of Pokémon!" James says

"Yeah, and I hear that gig pays really well." Meowth says

"Wobbafett!" Wobbafett says

( _Meanwhile_ )

The group return to the spot where Sawyer first dropped his notebook. Draxon, Mew, Ash, and Clemont looked over on one side of the bridge with Serena and Bonnie searching over the other side while Sawyer and Treeko look over the spot where he fell. They searched on and around the bridge, but could not find the notebook anywhere.

"Come on! It's so weird. I'm sure I dropped it here." Sawyer says

"I don't see it anywhere." Clemont says

"I'm sure we'll find it. Don't you think, Clemont?" Ash says

"You're right." Clemont says

Sawyer sat and leaned back on the railing of the bridge and rubbed his right-arm.

"I feel awful about this." Sawyer says

"Don't worry, Sawyer. You notebook will turn up eventually." Draxon says

Pikachu, Mew, and Treecko come up to Sawyer to cheer him up.

"Pika pika." Pikachu says

"Treecko treecko." Treecko says

"Mew mew." Mew says

"Thanks, Draxon, Mew, Pikachu, Treecko." Sawyer says

"Hey, I know! Why don't we split up and look for it?" Serena suggests

"That could work. Splitting up covers more ground. We might have better chances of finding the notebook that way." Draxon says

"Good idea. Then we can meet up at the Pokémon Center." Ash says

With that said, the group splits up and search around the city for Sawyer's notebook. They search high and low in the streets, but they turn up with no trace.

( _Moments later_ )

After many minutes of searching, the group meets up outside the Pokémon Center.

"Any luck?" Ash asks

"No." Draxon says

"Nothing." Serena says

"Same here." Clemont says

"Not even a teensy trace." Bonnie says

"De-ne-ne-ne." Dedenne says

"Any luck, Sawyer?" Serena asks

Everyone glances over at Sawyer, who was sitting on a flat square cushion seat underneath a red umbrella, looking quite depressed over the loss of his notebook.

"It's no use. I have to face facts. My notebook's really gone." Sawyer says

"Treecko..." Treecko says unhappy

"Sawyer, you had that notebook ever since you became a Trainer, right? Is everything you ever learned in there?" Ash asks

"Uh-huh. All the important stuff that's happened since Hoenn. Everything that Treecko and I've experienced together. I've been able to look back at my notes in all of my battles. It's helped me a lot! I've been through some tough battles, but I always wrote whatever happened in my notebook. I've got notes of every experience. There's even a photo in there. And it's signed." Sawyer explains

"A photo? Of what?" Draxon asks

"It's a picture of Steven Stone, the Hoenn Champion." Sawyer says

"The Champion? Really?" Bonnie asks

"You actually met Steven Stone?" Ash asks

"Yeah! You see, Steven's been spending a lot of his time doing research on Mega Stones, and he even told me that Treecko is capable of Mega Evolution. When he becomes a Sceptile of course." Sawyer says

"Treecko." Treecko says in an affirmative tone

"So Sceptile can Mega Evolve!" Ash says

"It's a dream for Treecko and me. Mega Evolution!" Sawyer says

"Treecko!" Treecko says in agreement

"All the amazing stuff I learned from Steven Stone was in that notebook as well." Sawyer says looking down

"Well, if it's that important, then we have to find it." Serena says

"Clemont, that's your cue to jump in with your notebook searching machine!" Bonnie says turning to her brother

"But there's not even a trail to follow." Clemont says

"What if we could get the notebook's scent?" Draxon asks

"Of course! I should've thought of that!" Sawyer gasps in realization

Sawyer gets up from the cushion and takes out a Pokéball from the right-pocket of his cargo shorts. He then calls out the Pokémon inside.

"Hey, Slurpuff, come on out and give us a hand!" Sawyer says

Sawyer tosses the Pokéball into the air, releasing Slurpuff.

"Slurpuff!"

"Wow. You've got a Slurpuff." Ash says

"Using Slurpuff is a great idea." Clemont says

"Yeah, Slurpuff can pick up the scent of my notebook by getting a whiff of my scent. Slurpuff's got a sense of smell that's a hundred million times more sensitive than a person's." Sawyer says

"Treecko! Treecko treecko tree!" Treecko says

Slurpuff sniffs the air and it was soon on the trail of the notebook.

"Go for it and good luck." Ash says

( _Meanwhile_ )

Team Rocket was still pouring over Sawyer's notebook and James was amazed at the information that was written inside.

"Incredible information." James says

"Oh, be still my beating heart." Jessie says laying on the grass uninterested

"You're so lucky, your heart should be dancing a jig!" Meowth says pointing at Jessie

"Egads! Look! Sceptile can Mega Evolve, too!" James says

Hearing this got Jessie and Meowth interested.

"Great! I'm listening." Jessie says

"The Champion's notebook is good reading." Meowth says

"Slurpuff!"

The trio look up and they saw Slurpuff standing infront of them.

"Slurpuff!" Slurpuff says happily

"Come again?" Meowth says

"Who's this blob?!" Jessie asks

Slurpuff uses its tongue to take the notebook from James' hands. It catches the small book in it's paws and goes to deliver it back to Sawyer.

"Come back!" Jessie says

"That's our book, crook!" Meowth says

The group was out on a nearby trail having followed Slurpuff. They soon saw it come out of the bushes and over to them.

"Slurpuff!" Sawyer says

Slurpuff heads over to it's trainer and it hands him the notebook.

"You've found it, Slurpuff! Thank you so much! I'm so relieved!" Sawyer says

"Where did you find it?" Serena asks

Before Slurpuff could answer, the Team Rocket Trio come out of the bushes and confronts the heroes.

"Twerps!" Team Rocket says in unison

"It's Team Rocket!" Ash says

"Them again? They sure are persistent." Draxon says

"You give me back my key to a good life!" Jessie demands

"So you were the ones who stole Sawyer's notebook!" Bonnie says

Sawyer looks at Ash and his friends, surprised that they knew the troublesome trio.

"Hey, do you know them?" Sawyer asks

"Afraid so." Ash says

"They're bad guys who steal other people's Pokémon." Serena says

Sawyer gasps in shock.

"Hurry up! Give it back! The Champion's notebook is ours!" James demands

"Champion?" Ash asks

"They must be referring to Steven Stone. They probably think it's his because they saw his photo in the notebook." Draxon says

"It isn't his. This notebook belongs to me." Sawyer says

"Don't act so twerpish. It's signed by the Champion himself. You can be sure the two of us are going to live happily ever after together." Jessie snickers

"Somebody's got a wild crush." Draxon says with a sweatdrop

"This is an autographed photo I got from Steven Stone." Sawyer says pointing to the photo in his book

The Team Rocket Trio were shocked by what they heard. The notebook didn't belong to Steven Stone at all. What they saw was just his photo signed by him for Sawyer.

"You got that dude's autograph?!" Meowth says confounded

"No joke?!" James asks

"Honestly?!" Jessie asks

Hearing this revelation completely shattered all of Team Rocket's dreams.

"No! The good life left!" Jessie exclaims

"All of that wisdom, down the drain!" James exclaims

"Next time, don't drop something so confusing!" Meowth exclaims

Now that they realized their mistake, the trio decided to change their plans.

"Keep your book! We'll take your Pokémon!" James says

"That's for all our pain and suffering!" James says

Jessie and James took out their Pokéballs and they sent out their Pokémon.

"Pumpkaboo, ten-hut!" Jessie says

"Okay, Inkay! It's Twerp time!" James says

The two Team Rocket members both toss their Pokéballs into the air, sending out Pumpkaboo and Inkay.

"Pumpkaboo!"

"Inkay!"

Ash and Sawyer glance at each other and decide to take on Team Rocket with their Pokémon.

"Sawyer, let's go." Ash says

"Right." Sawyer says

Pikachu and Treecko both make their stand and got into battle stance. Before the two trainers and Pokémon could do anything, Draxon steps forward, moving past Ash, Sawyer, Pikachu, and Treecko.

"Huh? Draxon?" Ash says

"Pika?" Pikachu says

"You guys hang back. I'll deal with these troublemakers." Draxon says

Draxon stretches his right-hand out and he summons his crystal Keyblade in a flash of blue light.

"You won't be stealing any Pokémon while I'm here. Not on my watch. If I were you three, I'd walk away right now." Draxon says

"Fat chance! Pumpkaboo, Shadow Ball!" Jessie commands

"Ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka boo!"

Pumpkaboo conjures up a purple orb of dark energy and launches it at Draxon.

"Inkay, time for Psybeam!" James commands

"Iiiiinkay!"

Inkay conjures up a blue orb in it's tentacles and unleashes a beam of rainbow-colored rings at Draxon.

Draxon stood firm as the two attacks made their way towards him. First, he swats the Shadow Ball away with right swing from his Keyblade, sending it flying up into the sky where it eventually exploded. Then, he knocks away the Psybeam with a left swing, sending it up into the sky also. Jessie, James, Meowth, Pumpkaboo, and Inkay gasped in shock while Draxon just had a confident look on his face. Draxon shrugs his shoulders.

"Hey, I warned you. I hope you know how to take some punishment 'cause I'm about to bring it!" Draxon says

Draxon holds his Keyblade out infront of him with both hands and he focuses on channeling his light into it. Soul Calibur begins to glow with it's benevolent light as it's ancient magic flowed through it. Once he was ready, Draxon turns the crystal Keyblade over and stabs it into the ground, sending blue glowing cracks along the ground towards Team Rocket. Soon, the cracks reach the troublesome trio and the ground beneath them explodes, sending them flying.

"You know, I had a feeling that notebook was a bit gnarly the whole time." Meowth says crossing his arms

"Aw, the no good life!" Jessie cries

"That notebook would've looked great on my coffee table." James says

"Wobbafett!" Wobbafett says in an affirmative tone

"We're blasting off again!" The Team Rocket Trio scream as they were sent flying

With that, Team Rocket disappeared into the distance with their usual twinkle in the sky. Ash and his friends stared at Draxon in amazement as he pulled his Keyblade out from the ground.

"Wow. That Keyblade." Sawyer says

"So cool." Ash says

Having dealt with Team Rocket, Draxon de-summons his Keyblade, turns back to his friends, and gives them a nod.

"Nice going, Draxon." Ash says

"Thanks." Draxon says

"And thank you. To all of you. Because of your help, my notebook is safe." Sawyer says

Sawyer looks down at his notebook, relieved to see it was intact. Treecko climbs up onto Sawyer's shoulders.

"Treecko!" Treecko says in agreement

Draxon was glad that he was able to help Sawyer find his notebook. But now he was curious where Ash and his friends were planning on heading to next.

"So, Ash, where do you plan on going to next?" Draxon says

"I still haven't decided yet." Ash says

"How 'bout here?" Serena asks

Serena pulls up a map of Kalos on her digital map and it showed an image of Anistar City's crystal sundial.

"Ta-da! Anistar City!" Serena says

"Huh? Anistar City?" Ash says

"It's a great place to visit. It has this amazing sundial. And besides, Dendemille Town is right on the way there." Serena says

"Ah, that's it. Anistar City. I'll get my seventh Gym Badge there!" Ash says

"Pika pikachu!" Pikachu says in agreement

"Hey, Sawyer, what are you going to do?" Bonnie asks

"I think I'm gonna head for the Coumarine Gym." Sawyer says

"That Gym's awesome." Ash says

"Coumarine City's amazing as well." Serena says

"They've even got a monorail!" Bonnie says

"If I remember, the Gym Leader there is Ramos." Clemont says

"Yeah, and he's strong. Have fun, and good luck!" Ash says

"Thanks! I'll work hard. But before that, I've got a little favor to ask you. The last time we battled, we had to stop in the middle. How'd you like to finish it up before we head out?" Sawyer says

"Sounds good. What are the rules?" Ash says

"How about we each use one Pokémon?" Sawyer says

"Alright. Let's do it!" Ash says

"Ash against Sawyer? This I gotta see." Draxon says

( _Moments later_ )

The group got together in an area near the Pokémon Center where the arena was lined out and ready for them. Sawyer stood on one side and Ash on the other.

"Okay. I'll use Treecko for this battle." Sawyer says

"Treecko!" Treecko says feeling determined

Ash takes out a Pokéball from his pocket and enlarges it.

"And I'll use Frogadier." Ash says tossing the Pokéball into the air

The Pokeball opens up, releasing Frogadier onto the arena.

"Frogadier!"

"Don't forget, I've got the advantage on this type matchup." Sawyer says

"We'll just see about that." Ash says

"I'll be the referee, if you don't mind." Clemont says

"Good luck, both of you!" Bonnie says

"Have a great battle!" Serena says

"Ash versus Sawyer! Battle begin!" Clemont announces

With that, the battle started with Ash making the first move.

"Frogadier, Aerial Ace!" Ash commands

Frogadier moves across the arena with extremely fast speed, leaping towards Treecko with three jumps, leaving both it and Sawyer confounded.

"Frog-a-dier!" Frogadier says

Sawyer was surprised that Frogadier was able to use such a move.

"That's a flying type move!" Sawyer exclaims

Frogadier soon closed in on Treecko and it strikes with a right uppercut punch, knocking the small gecko up in mid-air. Then, the blue frog delivers a left-kick which sends Treecko flying backwards.

"That was super effective!" Bonnie says

Treecko lands and slides back across the ground, stopping a few feet infront of Sawyer while down on one knee.

"Treecko, are you okay?" Sawyer asks concerned

The green gecko looks back at it's trainer and nods it's head, saying it was alright.

"Treecko." Treecko says

"Alright, Bullet Seed!" Sawyer commands

Treecko got back up on it's feet and it shoots green glowing seeds at Frogadier.

"Treecko!"

Frogadier stood it's ground and shields itself with it's arms.

"That's super effective, too!" Serena says

"Keep it going, Treecko! Fast as you can!" Sawyer says

Treecko runs toward Frogadier while shooting multiple seeds at it. Frogadier moves back while jumping from left to right, dodging each stream of seeds that were shot in it's direction.

"Agility, let's go!" Sawyer commands

Treecko darts across the battlefield, moving at very fast speeds.

"Now, Water Pulse!" Ash commands

Frogadier leaps up into the air and it conjures up a water sphere in it's hands.

"Frog-a-dier!"

The blue frog hurls the Water Pulse down at Treecko, who stops and shields itself with it's arms. The attack had knocked Treecko down to the ground.

"Treecko! Can you still go on?" Sawyer asks concerned

Treecko rises up on it's feet and stares at Frogadier with an intense, angry expression. It was very determined to win this battle and there was not a chance that it would let Frogadier get the best of it.

"Treecko!" Treecko yells in anger

Suddenly, Treecko starts to glow with a blue light, illuminating the entire area.

"Treecko!" Sawyer says

"What's that?" Serena says

"Could it be?" Clemont says

Everyone looks on in surprise and amazement as Treecko went through it's transformation. Soon, the blue glow dims down, revealing Treecko's newly evolved form: Grovyle.

"Grovyle!"

"It evolved!" Sawyer gasps in amazement

"I'll take a look." Serena says

Serena takes out her Pokédex and aims it at Grovyle.

 _"Grovyle, the Wood Gecko Pokémon, and the evolved form of Treecko. Grovyle has powerful legs, which allow it to move quickly and jump with great power."_ The Pokédex reads

"So, that's what Pokémon Evolution is like." Draxon says amazed by what he had witnessed

"That just happened because Grovyle could sense your passion." Ash says

"My passion, huh?" Sawyer says

Sawyer chuckles as he was filled with excitement.

"Grovyle, you ready? Let's win this!" Sawyer says

"Grovyle!" Grovyle says in an affirmative tone

Grovyle started throwing some punches and then it's leaves on it's arms started to glow green and extend into blades.

"Wow. Awesome! You know Leaf Blade!" Sawyer says amazed

"Now, Double Team!" Ash commands

Frogadier creates multiple illusionary clones of itself to hide itself amongst it's copies, but this would not stop Sawyer and Grovyle from attacking.

"Grovyle! Leaf Blade!" Sawyer commands

Grovyle leaps up into the air and dives down onto the battlefield, cutting down one Frogadier clone. The Wood Gecko continues to cut through the other several clones until all of them were gone. Grovyle looks around confused, but then Frogadier appears behind it.

"Use Aerial Ace!" Ash commands

Frogadier dashes across the battlefield with extreme speed and it delivers a left kick to Grovyle's stomach, causing it to lurch forward in pain.

"Okay, use Leaf Blade!" Sawyer commands

Grovyle swings it's glowing arm-blade at Frogadier, but it jumps back, dodging the attack. The Wood Gecko rushes up to the blue frog and continues swinging it's Leaf Blades at it, only to keep on missing as Frogadier dodged every slice.

"Now, use Cut!" Ash commands

Frogadier jumps away and dashes back at Grovyle with it's one of it's frubbles sharpened into a blade. The two Pokémon clash and push against each other.

"This has turned into a great battle!" Ash says

"Yeah! Grovyle and I are battling together as one!" Sawyer says

Frogadier and Grovyle soon jump away from each other, returning to their respective sides.

"Use Aerial Ace!" Ash commands

Frogadier rushes toward Grovyle and closes in, readying to attack with it's right-hand.

"Jump! Go!" Sawyer commands

Just as Frogadier moves to strike, Grovyle leaps high up into the air.

"Now what?" Ash says

"Grovyle can jump!" Serena says

"So high!" Bonnie says amazed

"Grovyle, Bullet Seed!" Sawyer commands

"Gro-vyle!"

Grovyle shoots a stream of glowing bullets from it's mouth down at Frogadier.

"Use Water Pulse!" Ash commands

"Fro-ga-dier!"

Frogadier quickly conjures up a water sphere in it's hands and it hurls it up at the Bullet Seed, causing it to explode in a cloud of mist. Sawyer looks into the mist and saw Frogadier's silouhette. This was his chance to attack.

"Now, Grovyle, use Leaf Blade!" Sawyer commands

"Gro-vyle!"

Grovyle dives down and strikes with it's glowing arm-blades. The misty cloud disperses, revealing no sign of Frogadier.

"Water Pulse, now!" Ash commands

Frogadier reappears above Grovyle with another water sphere in it's hands.

"Fro-ga-dier!"

Frogadier hurls the Water Pulse down at Grovyle and the attack lands with a direct hit, kicking up another misty cloud. The blue frog lands back over on Ash's side while everyone kept their eyes on the battlefield. The cloud soon disperses, revealing Grovyle down on it's knees. The Wood Gecko then fell over and collapsed on it's stomach. The match was over.

"Grovyle..." Grovyle says stunned

"No, Grovyle!" Sawyer cries out

With Grovyle down, Clemont makes the call.

"Grovyle is unable to battle. Frogadier's the winner!" Clemont announces

Ash walks over to Frogadier and kneels down to it.

"That was great, Frogadier. You battled really well. Awesome job!" Ash says

Sawyer rushes over to Grovyle and kneels down to it.

"Hey, Grovyle, are you okay?" Sawyer asks

Grovyle rose up onto it's feet and shook it's head in recovery. Then, both Grovyle and Frogadier stared at each other with determined expressions and smiles on their faces. The group saw this and they could tell the two Pokémon had become rivals.

"Wow. Both of you are really pumped up." Ash says

"I think they'll be good rivals." Clemont says

Seeing how well Grovyle fought during their battle, Sawyer felt determined more than ever to keep on training.

"Let's keep getting stronger, Grovyle." Sawyer says

"Grovyle." Grovyle says in agreement

"Good luck with your Gym Battles, Sawyer." Serena says

"Thanks." Sawyer says

"Hey, Ash. Thanks so much for everything you've done. For battling me and all the stuff you taught me." Sawyer says

"No problem. Good luck at the Gym." Ash says

"Pika!" Pikachu says in agreement

"Thanks, Ash. Same to you at the Anistar Gym. Win your seventh badge." Sawyer says

"Right." Ash says

Ash and Sawyer both shake hands. Afterwards, Sawyer looks over at Draxon and Mew.

"Draxon, I'm glad to have met you. Watching you and your Keyblade in action against those Heartless and Team Rocket was really awesome. I'm sure that you and Mew are gonna go a long way." Sawyer says

"Thanks, Sawyer. Good luck on your journey. Hopefully we'll meet again someday." Draxon says

"Looking forward to it." Sawyer says smiling

And with that said, Sawyer and Grovyle set off on their journey, heading out on the road to Coumarine City while Ash, Draxon, and their friends waved him good-bye. Once Sawyer was gone, it was time for Draxon to leave as well.

"Well, my job's done here. It's time for me and Mew to head out as well." Draxon says

"Alright. You both take care of yourselves, you hear?" Ash says

"Pika pika." Pikachu says

"You know we will." Draxon says

"Good luck." Serena says

"Hope to see you again." Bonnie says

"Dedenne!" Dedenne says

"Safe travels." Clemont says

Draxon nods his head and smiles. He then turns and stretches out his left-hand, opening up a dark corridor, surprising Ash and his friends.

"Wow." Ash and his friends say in unsion

With the portal now open, Draxon turns and bids his friends farewell.

"Alright. I'll be seeing ya, guys." Draxon says

Draxon and Mew were about to head into the portal until the Keyblade Wielder remembered about Ash's next Gym Battle. He had a feeling it would be a while before he would get to see Ash and his friends again, so he felt he should at least wish him luck.

"Oh, Ash, if by any chance I don't get see you all at Anistar City, good luck on your Gym Battle." Draxon says

"Thanks, Draxon." Ash says

Draxon gave his friends a two-fingered salute while Mew waved it's right-paw. And with that, the Keyblade Wielder and his Pokémon partner entered the dark corridor and they left the Kalos Region while Ash and his friends continued on with their journey to Anistar City.

( _Twilight Town_ )

Xion was already at the top of the clock tower, eating her Sea-Salt Ice Cream by herself. She was then greeted by Roxas, who came from around the corner.

"You're here early." Roxas says

"My mission wasn't that hard." Xion says

Roxas walked over and sat down along the ledge next to Xion on her right.

"Draxon's not here yet?" Roxas asks

"He must be on his mission still." Xion says

As if on cue, Draxon and Mew arrive at the usual spot, coming out from the corner. Both of them had their own Sea-Salt Ice Cream.

"Hey, Roxas. Hey, Xion." Draxon greets

"Mew." Mew greets

"Hey, Draxon. We were wondering about you." Xion says

"Sorry I'm a few minutes late. Our mission in the Kalos Region was a long one." Draxon says

"We're just glad you made it." Roxas says

"That's what counts, right?" Draxon says in agreement

Draxon walks over and sits down alongside Xion on her left while Mew hovers in the air next him.

"So, how are you feeling, Xion?" Draxon asks

"I think I'll be okay now." Xion says

"That's good." Draxon says

"Hey, where's Axel?" Roxas asks

"I haven't seen him." Xion says

Suddenly, the bells on the clock tower start ringing, catching the attention of the four friends.

"It's getting late... I don't think he's coming." Xion says

"Don't you wanna wait a little while longer?" Roxas asks

"Okay." Xion says

The four friends gazed out at the sunset, admiring the view until Xion spoke.

"You guys are always there for me." Xion says

"Aw, it's nothing. Axel's the one who always sticks up for us." Roxas says

"Yeah. He's always got our backs." Draxon says

"Well, I'm just glad the three of you are in the Organization with me." Xion says

"Mew!" Mew says

"And Mew, of course." Xion giggles

"I hope Axel turns up." Roxas says

The four friends continued eating their ice cream, waiting for Axel to soon join them. But unfortunately, he never came and thus they were forced to return back to the castle and call it a day.

( _The World That Never Was_ )

Axel was in the castle's library, looking for information regarding Namine. He was flipping through the pages of a book. After minutes of searching, he found what he had been looking for.

 _"The truth about Namine - Vexen."_

Axel proceeded to read the information that was in the pages of the book, wanting to learn all that he can about Namine.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Draxon and Mew return to the Kalos Region and they meet up with Ash and his friends in Laverre City just in time for Ash's Gym Battle with Valerie. They also meet Sawyer and his partner, Treecko. After Ash wins his battle against Valerie, the Heartless attack the gym, but Draxon and Mew got it covered. Then, they go up against a Thorned Snake. But with Ash and his friends cheering them on, the heroes prevail victorious. Draxon and Mew spends some more time with Ash and his friends, helping Sawyer search for his lost notebook. They eventually find it and run into Team Rocket, but Draxon sends them packing with his Keyblade. Later on, Ash and Sawyer have a battle with Frogadier and Treecko. During the battle, Treecko evolves into Grovyle. The two Pokemon fight an intense battle, but Frogadier ends up the winner. And with that, the heroes continue on with their journey. Sawyer heads over to Coumarine City, Ash and his friends set out for Anistar City, and Draxon and Mew head out to meet up with Roxas and Xion in Twilight Town. What will Draxon's next mission be? And what Heartless will he face next? Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!


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